Mass. Gets $81M Federal Grant To Develop Insurance Exchange

The federal government announced Thursday that Massachusetts is receiving an $81.2 million grant to help its Connector Authority comply by 2014 with the requirements of the Affordable Care Act and further develop its health insurance exchange.

According to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the grant will “support the development and operation of a Massachusetts-specific risk adjustment program that will ensure stability in the state’s merged market and will provide funding to develop and execute a robust outreach and education campaign” to inform residents about benefits available through the ACA and the Connector.

The grant was among $1.5 billion in exchange establishment grants to the states announced by the Obama administration Thursday.

CMS envisions the state marketplaces as “one-stop shops that will provide access to quality, affordable private health insurance choices similar to those offered to members of Congress.”