The state Senate tonight approved a bill that would create a quasi-public agency to serve as a clearinghouse for those seeking to buy health insurance.
The federal health care overhaul signed into law by President Obama last year seeks to establish such agencies, known as health insurance exchanges, in all 50 states by 2014. Connecticut has already received nearly $1 million to lay the groundwork for the plan.
The exchange will allow both uninsured individuals and businesses to compare health insurance options and decide which is best for them.
Obama has said the exchanges are a key component to the sweeping health care overhaul bill and will make it easier for millions of uninsured Americans to obtain coverage. By pooling their buying power, consumers and businesses will have more leverage to secure better rates, he said.
Connecticut Senate President Donald Williams praised the approach, calling it a "transparent, high-tech approach so that individuals, small businesses will be able to get the information they need, make the choice that's best for them, get access to health care and do it in a way that is the most cost-effective."