Republican state officials stall on setting up health insurance marketplaces
Source: Washington Post
Republican state officials stall on setting up health insurance marketplaces
By N.C. Aizenman, Updated: Saturday, May 12, 7:39 PM
In about two dozen states across the country, the insurance marketplaces at the heart of the 2010 health-care law remain in limbo, with Republican governors or lawmakers who oppose the statute refusing to act until the Supreme Court decides its constitutionality.
New Jerseys Republican governor, Chris Christie, joined the ranks Thursday, vetoing a bill from the majority Democratic legislature that would have set up the Garden States version of the exchanges, through which individuals and small businesses could shop for insurance.
In states with Democratic governors, such as New Hampshire and Minnesota, it is often Republican-dominated legislatures that are causing the hold-up. And in six states where Republicans hold both branches of government, including Kansas and South Dakota, state assemblies havent even considered laws to establish the marketplaces.
Though the battles primarily break along partisan lines, there have been at least a half-dozen exceptions. Last spring, the Republican governor of Nevada chose not to stand in the way of an exchange bill adopted by the majority Democratic assembly. And the Republican insurance commissioner of Mississippi is using existing authority to set up an exchange with the blessing of the Republican governor.
Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/republican-state-officials-stall-on-setting-up-health-insurance-marketplaces/2012/05/12/gIQA9yDGLU_story.html?wprss=rss_politics
northoftheborder
(7,572 posts)....set up a program. If they do not, then Dept. of Health will offer those individuals in the states without insurance a program of some sort. I'm sure Texas is one of the heavy foot draggers.
PoliticAverse
(26,366 posts)railsback
(1,881 posts)Their only hope is to steal back the White House and Congress. 4 Supreme Court justices are on the brink of retirement, and the next president will likely have the opportunity to shape the court for years to come. The GOP is holding a pair of deuces, but they're going all in on this.
The Wizard
(12,545 posts)who enjoy lower premiums because of The Affordable Health Care Act will be pleased that Repubes are the ones costing them more for care.