HHS has awarded establishment grants to 28 states and the District of Columbia to set up insurance exchanges.

The agency released a report providing additional details (PDF) about how some states have started to establish exchanges. According to the report, additional states have applied for establishment grants, which are expected to be awarded in February.

The report also noted there are indications that Alaska, New Hampshire, Ohio and Wyoming—states that have not received establishment grants—are likely to move forward with planning state exchanges. During a call with reporters, an administration official declined to say how many states have applied for the current round of grants.

In total, HHS has awarded $729.5 million in exchange planning grants, exchange establishment grants and exchange innovator grants. Every state except Alaska has received an exchange planning grant.

The report also found that 14 states have enacted legislation that supported the development of state-based exchanges. Of those 14, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi and Utah had pre-existing laws in place.

HHS said it plans to release another guidance relating to the development of a federally facilitated exchange within the next few months. The federal exchange would be available to residents of states that are not developing exchanges, the administration said.