VPR's Hamilton Davis analyzes Vermont's efforts to establish a health care exchange.

A number of Vermont business leaders say the Shumlin Administration is trying to punish thousands of small businesses when a new health care Exchange goes into place next January.

Thousands of middle income Vermonters could see their health care costs spike when a new federal exchange goes into place in 2014. A group of advocates is urging the Legislature to create a special state subsidy program to make up the difference.

The state has received a new $104 million federal grant to help put a consumer based health care exchange in place over the next 12 months. Most of the money will be used to upgrade the state's information technology network and to build a comprehensive public outreach education program.

The state of Vermont is getting a $104 million federal grant to continue the process of setting up a health benefits exchange, a key part of state and federal health care reform efforts.