The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) released this brief examining health reform’s funding opportunities for states to design and implement information technology (IT) infrastructure envisioned under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to facilitate health coverage eligibility.  The brief outlines funding for IT designed to streamline and simplify applications for health coverage through Medicaid and the law’s health insurance exchanges.  The authors note that the law establishes an application process in which individuals submit information only once to determine their eligibility for both Medicaid and exchange-based plans.  The brief outlines numerous funding opportunities for states, including the $1 million planning grants that 48 states and the District of Columbia have received to begin work on the exchanges, as well as the five competitive “early innovator” grants currently available to implement model projects.  The U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will announce recipients of the early innovator grants this month.

From the brief:

The major coverage provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) go into effect in January 2014 with an expansion of Medicaid eligibility to nearly all individuals under 138% of poverty and new subsidies for individuals with incomes between 138% and 400% of poverty to purchase coverage in newly established Health Insurance Exchanges. The ACA envisions a streamlined and simplified application process with seamless transitions between coverage in the Exchange and Medicaid. Using a web portal, consumers will be able to submit one application for coverage, whether they qualify for coverage in the Exchange or in Medicaid. The information technology (IT) infrastructure will therefore be a core component of implementing the coverage provisions in the ACA. To aid states in the planning process, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed increased federal funding for Medicaid eligibility systems and new guidance to help states design and implement the IT infrastructure envisioned under the ACA. HHS has also announced the “Early Innovator” grants for states that can serve as models in moving forward with IT systems for operating state‐based exchanges. This brief summarizes these new funding opportunities and guidance for states.

Full Brief: Building an Information Technology Foundation for Health Reform: A Look at Recent Guidance and Funding Opportunities (PDF | 718 KB) 

Kaiser Family Foundation. (2011). Building an information technology foundation for health reform: a look at recent guidance and funding opportunities.