Health Insurance Exchange Update: Friday, September 7th

With the elections underway, many states are still on the fence about making a decision regarding the health insurance exchange.  Few have even proposed to wait until after someone is elected in November to submit their decision.

Kentucky’s online market place will proceed without a vote by the state legislative committee. At the urging of Republican members, the Interim Joint Committee on Health and Welfare delayed a vote in August on regulations crafted by Gov. Steve Beshear's administration that would establish a health benefits exchange. If the committee takes no action to block the regulation, it automatically goes into effect, and at this time the committee is not scheduled to meet until September 19^th.

Kansas has still not decided which health insurance exchange services they will provide. According to Insurance Commissioner, Sandy Praeger, if they don't come to a decision soon, the Department of Health and Human Services will choose one for them. The state has set a deadline for Sept. 30^th, however Gov. Sam Brownback wants to wait until after the Nov. 6^th election to make a decision.

And yesterday in Lincoln, the second health insurance exchange hearing was held. Just like the governor of Kansas, Nebraska's Gov. Dave Heineman would also like to wait until after the election to make a decision. The three options are: being state run, federal run and a hybrid of state and federal.Three CEO's of major insurance companies in the state sat in a panel discussion with the mayor. The essential benefits are still undetermined.

This November, the Health Insurance Exchange Congress will be held November 13-14, 2012 in Chicago, IL.  Here, state officials and health plans with the only opportunity to come together to discuss PPACA and strategize on how to make this a successful opportunity for all.  For more information on this year's agenda, download the program here.  As a reader of this blog, when you register to join us and mention code XP1710BLOG, you'll receive 15% off the standard rate!

Health Insurance Exchange Update: Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Delaware State Flag

House Republicans are going to vote on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act tomorrow. It will most likely be ruled in favor of repeal but they need the Senate. The House’s motion will be dead on arrival. Besides the battle still being waged on Capitol Hill, there is a state that is having internal issues.  

Missouri's state officials are arguing over the semantics of their ballot summary. The state are holding a vote in November on a bill that would stop Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon from setting up health insurance exchanges without the consent of state legislature or state voters. So now the Lt. Gov. Peter King said that he will file a lawsuit citing that the summary is biased.

So with staunch opponents of the bill will wait until the November election to do anything and a state fighting amongst themselves, other states are beginning to set in motion their own exchanges. 

In Indiana, JA Benefits, a benefits provider, has begun creating their own health insurance exchange. Called JA Exchange, the exchange will help individuals compare options. The exchange will receive quotes in seconds by filling in the right information. Private exchanges like JA Exchange will be the force in the marketplace. 

Kansas seems to be in a bit of a bind with the outcome of the ruling according to Kansas Watchdog. Gov. Sam Brownback decided not to accept the $31.5 million provided by the federal government to establish exchanges. He and 22 other governors involved in the lawsuit against the bill banked on the Supreme Court striking down the law. And that did not work out too well. So now what? That is the question the governor is up against at the moment. A scramble would be on to create the exchanges themselves but the Head of Insurance Department Accident and Health Division Linda Sheppard believes that there are three choices to be made. One choice is to use the amount of time they have left to set up their own exchanges. There second choice is to cut a deal with the federal Health and Human Services regulators. With this, the federal government will set the rules and then Kansas would enforce. The third choice is to allow federal regulators to run the exchanges. 

Delaware has one foot in and one foot out. Democratic Gov. Jack Markell is unsure whether they want to expand Medicaid in their state. And since the Supreme Court ruled that the government could not withhold money if a state does not expand Medicaid, the state is weighing their options. As far as setting up the exchanges, the process is underway. But because of the state’s small size, it intends to have federal regulators take over operational duties. 

This November, the Health Insurance Exchange Congress will be held November 13-14, 2012 in Chicago, IL.  Here, state officials and health plans with the only opportunity to come together to discuss PPACA and strategize on how to make this a successful opportunity for all.  For more information on this year's agenda, download the program here.  As a reader of this blog, when you register to join us and mention code XP1710BLOG, you'll receive 15% off the standard rate!

Health Insurance Exchange Update: Monday, July 2, 2012

Well, it is now official, the President’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) was found constitutional by the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court. But, many across the aisle still do not believe this is true. So, instead of living with this ruling, Republicans in the House will vote on July 11 to repeal (ACA). State officials are protesting as well, waiting and hoping for a Romney win. But, November 16 is the deadline to submit a plan to the Department of Health and Human Services. So there wishful thinking may not end well for them.

Kansas seems to be torn in two separate directions according to Ark City. Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger is at odds with other Republicans in her state to setup the health insurance exchanges. Gov. Sam Brownback wants to delay the setup of exchanges until after the November election. Kansas has not done anything to go forward with some plan. They went so far as to reject the millions of dollars in aid in order to finance the project. Stephen McAllister, who once served as a clerk for Clarence Thomas, said that this wishful thinking by Republicans is a far stretch. If Romney is actually elected in November, he needs Congress in order to overturn the (ACA). So with that being said, there needs to be a Republican Senate and House just to get the right number of votes and while they are waiting for all that to happen, here it will be 2014 when everything goes into effect.

Idaho is in a tight bind after the Supreme Court ruling according to CBS News. The state rejected the $20 million in grants in order to establish the exchanges. They were banking on the ruling of the health care ruling but now that it has been ruled constitutional, Idaho now has to figure out what it will do next in order to comply with the federal government. The state will need lenience from the federal government and quick action in order to meet the November 16 deadline. With little time to set up their own exchanges, the state will have to use the federal government for support.

Michigan is now deciding that they will take their medicine and establish the exchanges according to Detroit Business. Michigan House Speaker Jase Bolger said that the state will move forward with implementing the healthcare law. Gov. Snyder said he will sign bill to allow Michigan to operate its own exchange. However, the Attorney General Bill Schuette said he too wants to wait until the November election.

But there is someone who has a plan. 

Montana will now be moving forward with the implementation of the after the ruling of the Supreme Court according to Great Falls Tribune. Montana insurance commissioner Monica Lindeen said that the state will help the U.S. Department of Health and Human services to establish Montana’s health insurance. This coming after Republican-led state legislature to help design Montana’s own plan was rejected last year. 18 percent of uninsured people in Montana will now be able to buy coverage from private insurers with the help of state-run exchanges.

This November, the Health Insurance Exchange Congress will be held November 13-14, 2012 in Chicago, IL.  Here, state officials and health plans with the only opportunity to come together to discuss PPACA and strategize on how to make this a successful opportunity for all.  For more information on this year's agenda, download the program here.  As a reader of this blog, when you register to join us and mention code XP1710BLOG, you'll receive 15% off the standard rate!

Is it illegal to omit abortion in healthcare exchanges?

American Civil Liberties Union have served the state of Kansas a lawsuit that claims it is sex discrimination to purposefully leave abortion out of health care exchanges, which the state of Kansas has passed a law to do starting 2014. They also claim it is illegal to tax on a constitutionally protected procedure as abortion is. According to the New York Times, Kansas forbids abortions in complete state plans, but allows insurances to sell separate riders. Kansas is just one of 13 states that has enacted this law concerning health care exchanges.

At the Health Insurance Exchange Congress this November, we'll bee debating the constitutionality of exchanges and the ACA, as well as recent court cases that have ruled for and against specific aspects of exchanges.  For more information on this session and the rest of the program, download the brochure.

Do you believe it is legal for Kansas and other states to leave abortion off of the things that are covered in health care exchanges? What is the point that is going to catch the eye of the legal system more, the fact that it specifically refuses to cover just something for women, or that it is failing to supply accessibility to something that is constitutionally protected?