Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius announced today that Hawaii has been conditionally approved to begin operating a state-based health care exchange, one of the pillars of the Affordable Care Act.

The approval is a key step in establishing Hawaii’s online health insurance marketplace, which will open for enrollment later this year.

“This is great news for Hawaii. The approval reflects that Hawaii is still in the forefront of health insurance exchanges nationwide and highlights the collaborative spirit that enabled us to achieve this milestone on time,” Hawaii Health Connector executive director Coral Andrews said in a statement.

They exchange should open its doors on Oct. 1, 2013.

As of today, 20 states including Washington D.C. have been conditionally approved to partially or fully operate their health insurance marketplaces.

Gov. Neil Abercrombie praised the development in a statement issued by the Hawaii Health Connector, noting that “[t]his conditional approval validates our collaboration in getting the insurance exchange up and running and our commitment to the Affordable Care Act and its promise for universal coverage and better health.”

— Alice Terry