In a November 9 letter to governors, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is giving states more time to submit health insurance exchange plans. States planning to run their own exchange are required to notify HHS by November 16. The deadline for submitting an exchange plan has been extended to December 14. States that are planning to pursue a partnership exchange now have until February 15 to submit a plan. The revised deadlines are not expected to affect the January 2014 launch of all state exchanges.