Managers of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) exchange program in Oregon have given 22 carriers permission to put products on its shelves.
Cover Oregon has invited 10 carriers to offer medical plans, or "qualified health plans" (QHPs); seven to offer stand-alone dental plans; and five to offer both medical and dental plans.
PPACA requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and states to have exchanges, or Web-based health insurance supermarkets, serving individuals and small groups by Oct. 1.
A state can choose whether to run its own state-based health insurance exchange — or "HIX" — or have HHS handle part or all of the work.
Oregon is running its own exchange program.
The carriers admitted to the Oregon HIX still have to submit applications to get specific plans into HIX slots, officials said.
"There are still many steps the carriers must follow to make their plans available this fall," officials said.
To participate in the Oregon exchange, the QHP carriers had to agree to offer a standard "essential health benefits" (EHB) package.
