April Todd-Malmlov, Exchange Executive Director at the Minnesota Department of Commerce, discussed the development of Minnesota's health insurance exchange, which aims to improve health care quality and value by providing consumers with better information and driving competition. She outlined the challenges of creating the exchange within a short timeframe and the impact of the Affordable Care Act on health care choices and coverage. Minnesota's exchange will focus on simplifying access to coverage, providing useful information, and encouraging competition among health care providers. The exchange will also help reduce the number of uninsured by making coverage more accessible and affordable. Minnesota's health exchange is designed to address the complexity of health care, lack of consumer engagement, and the lack of true competition in the health care market. The goals of the exchange include simplifying access to coverage, providing useful information, and driving competition on innovation and value. Strategies include streamlining access to public and private coverage, developing new information sources, and using existing ones to help consumers make informed decisions. Minnesota is working with 11 other states on a project called User Experience 2014 to improve the understanding of health insurance and help people make good decisions. The state is also looking at recent market research on what information people trust and want. Todd-Malmlov said that a small percentage of the public currently uses information on health care quality, but she hopes the exchange will change that. The exchange will help providers and health plans improve the quality and value of services they provide. The Affordable Care Act aims to create a more competitive health care marketplace and provide more valuable insurance coverage for more people. Minnesota's Department of Commerce has been leading the effort to design and develop the health exchange, and the state is working with a task force to guide the design and development of the exchange. Minnesota's earlier health exchange went out of business due to a death spiral, but the ACA has measures in place to prevent this problem. Minnesota has also enacted important health reform measures in 2008 that will be incorporated into its health exchange. The timeline for exchanges is very short, with open enrollment only a year away. Minnesota is committed to having its own exchange and not giving it up to the federal government. Todd-Malmlov said that the Federal exchange will not be good for Minnesota, as it is one-size-fits-all and may not meet the state's needs. Minnesota is unique in its approach to market-based cost-control strategies with broadened coverage.April Todd-Malmlov, Exchange Executive Director at the Minnesota Department of Commerce, discussed the development of Minnesota's health insurance exchange, which aims to improve health care quality and value by providing consumers with better information and driving competition. She outlined the challenges of creating the exchange within a short timeframe and the impact of the Affordable Care Act on health care choices and coverage. Minnesota's exchange will focus on simplifying access to coverage, providing useful information, and encouraging competition among health care providers. The exchange will also help reduce the number of uninsured by making coverage more accessible and affordable. Minnesota's health exchange is designed to address the complexity of health care, lack of consumer engagement, and the lack of true competition in the health care market. The goals of the exchange include simplifying access to coverage, providing useful information, and driving competition on innovation and value. Strategies include streamlining access to public and private coverage, developing new information sources, and using existing ones to help consumers make informed decisions. Minnesota is working with 11 other states on a project called User Experience 2014 to improve the understanding of health insurance and help people make good decisions. The state is also looking at recent market research on what information people trust and want. Todd-Malmlov said that a small percentage of the public currently uses information on health care quality, but she hopes the exchange will change that. The exchange will help providers and health plans improve the quality and value of services they provide. The Affordable Care Act aims to create a more competitive health care marketplace and provide more valuable insurance coverage for more people. Minnesota's Department of Commerce has been leading the effort to design and develop the health exchange, and the state is working with a task force to guide the design and development of the exchange. Minnesota's earlier health exchange went out of business due to a death spiral, but the ACA has measures in place to prevent this problem. Minnesota has also enacted important health reform measures in 2008 that will be incorporated into its health exchange. The timeline for exchanges is very short, with open enrollment only a year away. Minnesota is committed to having its own exchange and not giving it up to the federal government. Todd-Malmlov said that the Federal exchange will not be good for Minnesota, as it is one-size-fits-all and may not meet the state's needs. Minnesota is unique in its approach to market-based cost-control strategies with broadened coverage.