Senator Murray Applauds Critical Funding to Provide Greater Access to Affordable Health Care in Washington State

(Washington,
D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) applauded an announcement made
by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Don Berwick
that Washington State will be one of the first states to receive funding to
help implement a Health Insurance Exchange, a key provision of the Affordable
Care Act. Washington state will receive $22 million to implement an Exchange
that will provide individuals and small businesses with a one-stop shop to find
and compare health insurance options.

“I’m
so pleased that Washington is one of the first states to receive this critical
funding to lower the costs of health care for families and small businesses,” said Senator Murray. “Providing
people with greater access to health care coverage was the primary goal of our
efforts to reform the health insurance system. This funding will help
Washington state continue leading the way toward meeting that goal.”

The
funding awarded to Washington state from the Affordable Care Act will be used
to develop policy options and recommendations that will be used to implement
the Exchange, as well as to develop health information technology systems that
will support the Exchange.