How To Use This Tool This site will take you through a visualization of Vermont Health Connect, Vermont's custom built version of the Healthcare Exchange. To navigate the process, click on "Get Started" in the bottom right corner of this window.

User Creates Account In order to start the process, users create a profile on Vermont Health Connect. This is similar to creating an account on Facebook or Twitter. After the account is made, users provide sensitive information such as social security number and address, which Vermont Health Connect will send to government databases for confirmation.

Validate Personal Data Vermont Health Connect takes the users’ personal data and submits it to Vermont's Medicaid database and a federal Data Services Hub. The federal hub then connects to databases such as Homeland Security, the IRS, Social Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Determine Eligibility The databases confirm information about users and provide additional information, including citizenship status, veterans’ benefits, annual income and tax data which is used to determine subsidy eligibility. Users now have a completed and confirmed profile on Vermont Health Connect.

Match User To Plans Vermont Health Connect uses federal, state and user information to match users to a list of coverage options. These include public and private plans that they are eligible for.

Select Plan, Send Payment Users then select a plan from the list of their coverage options. In order for coverage to begin, users need to pay a premium through the exchange. As of March 3, 2014, individuals can pay the premium online though businesses must still submit paperwork via post.

Process Payment When the premium processor receives a payment, it sends back a confirmation to Vermont Health Connect that users have paid and can now be insured.

Insurance Company Notified With no additional action from users, Vermont Health Connect sends the users’ information to the coverage provider they’ve chosen along with confirmation that they’ve paid. Federal subsidies that users qualify for will be sent directly from the IRS to the coverage provider.