What is the primary purpose of the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange?

The primary purpose of the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange is to facilitate access to health insurance products under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The exchange serves as a marketplace where individuals and small businesses can browse, compare, and purchase health insurance plans. By doing so, it aims to make health insurance more accessible and affordable for residents of Connecticut, ensuring that they can find coverage that meets their needs.

This role is integral to the implementation of the ACA, which sought to increase the number of insured individuals through various measures, including the establishment of state-based exchanges. The Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange not only provides an opportunity for consumers to find coverage but also helps them understand their options, the available subsidies, and the necessary enrollment processes.

Other options discuss aspects not aligned with the core function of the exchange. Regulating health insurance premiums is a different responsibility typically managed by state insurance departments rather than the exchange itself. Providing health insurance directly to consumers suggests a model where the exchange acts as an insurer, which is not its function; rather, it connects consumers with multiple insurers. Lastly, the elimination of all health insurance requirements contradicts the purpose of health exchanges, as they are designed to promote coverage and comply with ACA mandates rather than diminish health insurance standards.