On Tuesday, Marguerite Salazar -- a regional director at HHS -- told lawmakers in Montana that the department is designing a new partnership model that would give states another chance to run their own health insurance exchanges if they are facing difficulties establishing one or have decided not to set one up. Salazar said the partnership model could be implemented without the need for federal authorization. Details of the plan will be discussed at a meeting with state agency heads in Washington, D.C., next month.