Montana Sen. Max Baucus announced Wednesday that Montana Community Health Centers will receive $1.5 million in grant awards. The grant is intended to create 27 jobs in Montana and facilitate a statewide insurance exchange program.

Libby’s Northwest Community Health Center will receive an $87,000 slice of the grant. Two positions have opened as a result. The grant has come through the Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010.

Fifteen Montana cities were awarded $60,000 or more for new employees to begin the process of creating a healthcare exchange for the state. The exchange will serve as a medium to help 14,000 state citizens to compare and determine their best options among private healthcare providers. 

“When more folks have insurance, healthcare costs are lower for everyone,” Baucus said in a statement. 

According to Baucus’ release, Montana Community Health Centers served about 99,000 patients in 2012, half of whom were uninsured. 

Montana Legislature rejected the creation of a state-based insurance exchange in 2011, leading to a federal implementation to be operational by 2014.