HEALTH CARE EXCHANGE TIMELINE

By 2014, all states will be required by to operate health care exchanges where people can shop around for insurance. A task force began meeting Tuesday to guide the process of building and implementing an exchange in Minnesota.

Here are key dates in the process:

February 2011: State received $1 million grant to start planning an exchange.

August 2011: State got $4.2 million grant to do more extensive planning, research and modeling.

Late 2011: Task force begins two-year process of developing and advising the commerce commissioner about how an exchange will work.

Jan. 1, 2013: States must demonstrate that exchanges can be operational by Jan. 1, 2014.

First half of 2013: Exchanges undergo testing.

Fall 2013: Exchanges hold open enrollment in preparation for launch.

Jan. 1, 2014: States begin to offer coverage over the exchanges.

Source: Minnesota Department of Commerce