Delaware Determined to Make Partnership Exchange Work

HLM: How many health plans are you hoping will participate in Delaware's exchange?

Landgraf: I'm hoping that enough to give our consumers choice. I have been asking our Department of Insurance if there are any concerns relative to the volume of the plans, and the feedback I'm getting—they're not overly concerned that we would not have plans participating on the exchange.

HLM: Are you surprised more states are not participating in a state-federal partnership?

Landgraf: Every state has to look at the constraints of their own system. I can't speak on behalf of other states, but I believe what might start happening is those states that decide they indeed do not want to go up against the federal law will possibly will elect the state-federal partnership.

I think it would also depend what the plans may be doing. The plans might prefer to have the state-federal partnership, depending on the state, as opposed to going fully to that federal partnership, just from a regulatory point of view.

I think that we've been very fortunate with our relationship with HHS and the goals that we've been trying to achieve here in Delaware. They've been very responsive. Again, sometimes it's challenging, but I think it's challenging for them as well. We try to problem solve this together.