Last week, the Commonwealth Fund released a new report by Timothy Jost on the state-based health insurance exchanges.  The author analyzes eight of the most difficult issues that the states and federal government face in implementing the exchanges, and offers recommendations for addressing them. Read the blog or the report to get answers to these critical questions:

1. How should exchanges be governed? Should they be run by a state agency or by a nonprofit entity?

2. What should be done to avoid adverse selection against and within exchanges?

3. What must be done to make self-insured plans compatible with exchanges?

4. What can be done to make exchanges attractive to employers?

5. How should exchanges exercise their regulatory authority to certify health plans that meet certain requirements for participation in the exchange?

6. How should the exchanges fulfill their responsibility to make both descriptive and evaluative information available to consumers?

7. How should eligibility determinations for premium tax credits, cost-sharing reduction payments, Medicaid, and CHIP work?

8. What can exchanges do to reduce administrative costs and attract funding?