Va. working to ease transition to healthcare exchange

Va. working to ease transition to healthcare exchange

Although Virginia has said it will let the federal government run its state healthcare exchange, mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordability Act (PPACA, a.k.a. ObamaCare), the Commonwealth has taken steps to make sure the transition goes smoothly, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Virginia has asked the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for $4.8 million to set up the technology to connect its state level social service agencies with the federally operated healthcare exchange. The aim is to connect the Commonwealth with a federal data center to determine Virginians eligibility for employee subsidies to buy insurance through the exchange and determine low income persons eligibility for Medicaid.

The Commonwealth has also signed a $100 million contract with Deloitte Consulting — 90 percent of it paid by the feds – to bring up to date Virginias system that determines citizens eligibility for Medicaid and other social services.

With the Virginia General Assembly in full swing, Democrats and Republicans there continue to grapple over the ObamaCare mandates for a healthcare exchange that is a state run system, a federally run system or a partnership, which, in theory, is a blend of the two. Currently, 22 states, including Virginia, are abdicating healthcare exchange operations to the feds; 19 plan to do it themselves, to include Maryland and DC; eight are in partnership; and two are undecided.