The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on Jan. 17 that it has awarded $1.5 billion in new grants to 11 states to assist them in setting up health insurance exchanges to implement the health reform law in 2014.

Recipients include: California, Delaware, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Oregon and Vermont. The awards are for either one or two years, depending on each state's progress in creating an exchange.

HHS reports that 49 states have received grants to plan their exchange marketplaces while 34 have received awards to begin constructing exchanges. For those states that have not reached a decision on whether to create an exchange, cede responsibility to HHS to do so or create a partnership with other states, HHS has extended deadlines to allow states to apply for grants through the end of 2014.