Health News
- Republicans Question Need For Kynect; Beshear Administration Officials Say Using Federal Insurance Exchange Would Cost More
With the U.S. Supreme Court approving Obamacare subsidies on the federal health-insurance exchange as well as state exchanges, some Republican legislators in Kentucky say the state should close its exchange, branded as Kynect. But officials of Democratic...
- Citing Costs, Bevin Has Said He Would Shut Down Kynect; Actually, Insurance Companies Pay For It; Medicaid Is Another Matter
By Molly Burchett and Al Cross Kentucky Health News The governor's race between Democrat Jack Conway and Republican Matt Bevin will spotlight the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, an issue that affects all Kentuckians at least indirectly....
- Beshear's Office Says He Is Considering 'various Ideas' For Financing Ky. Insurance Exchange, Not Just A 1% Fee On Policies
"Gov. Steve Beshear?s administration is reconsidering how to pay for the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange amid increased criticism from some Republicans in the legislature and a court case challenging a fee Beshear created through executive order," Ryan...
- Judge Oks Medicaid Expansion And Health Insurance Exchange
A judge upheld Gov. Steve Beshear's decisions to expand Medicaid and set up the state's health-insurance exchange under federal health reform, but his adversaries say they will continue to fight in court. Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd's...
- Legislative Committee Delays Vote On State Insurance Exchange, Though The Move Is Only Symbolic
Kentucky legislators have made another symbolic move against creating a health insurance exchange, with the Interim Joint Committee on Health and Welfare delaying a vote on its creation until next month's meeting. The exchange is one of the cornerstones...
Health News
Beshear issues executive order funding insurance exchange with fees on insurers, originally used to fund high-risk pool
Gov. Steve Beshear has filed another executive order to continue the state health-insurance exchange he created under federal health reform, "again sidestepping state lawmakers who have blasted Beshear for moving forward without their approval," Matt Young writes for the Lexington Herald-Leader.
"This year's directive says the exchange will generate enough revenue to fund itself beginning Jan. 1, 2015, when federal funds to create the exchange run out," Young reports. "In 2015, the exchange will operate on about $27 million garnered from a 1 percent assessment placed on insurance companies participating in Kynect," the brand name of the exchange.
The General Assembly originally approved the fees to finance the Kentucky Access program, a high-risk insurance pool that was made moot by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which requires insurers to accept people with pre-existing conditions. Beshear's order, using his broad reorganization powers, makes Kentucky Access a division in a new Kentucky Health Care Improvement Authority to handle the money.
The General Assembly barred the use of state General Fund money to continue the exchange, but the fees go into restricted agency accounts, not the General Fund, Cabinet for Health and Family Services spokeswoman Gwenda Bond told Young.
"Senate Republicans were aware of the governor's plan to use the fees to pay for Kynect throughout the budget process this spring," Young writes. "In 2013, the Republican-led Senate passed two bills that would have required the governor to get legislative approval before expanding Medicaid or establishing a health exchange in Kentucky, but neither bill passed the Democratic-led House."
Senate Republican Floor Leader Damon Thayer of Georgetown told Young, "Governor Beshear continues to bypass the legislature and, like his good friend President Obama, use the executive order process to run Obamacare in Kentucky."
Young notes that Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd ruled in 2013 that Beshear has the authority to create offices in the executive branch to fulfill a federal law. The ruling was affirmed by the Court of Appeals; the state Supreme Court has not decided whether to hear the appeal.
"This year's directive says the exchange will generate enough revenue to fund itself beginning Jan. 1, 2015, when federal funds to create the exchange run out," Young reports. "In 2015, the exchange will operate on about $27 million garnered from a 1 percent assessment placed on insurance companies participating in Kynect," the brand name of the exchange.
The General Assembly originally approved the fees to finance the Kentucky Access program, a high-risk insurance pool that was made moot by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which requires insurers to accept people with pre-existing conditions. Beshear's order, using his broad reorganization powers, makes Kentucky Access a division in a new Kentucky Health Care Improvement Authority to handle the money.
The General Assembly barred the use of state General Fund money to continue the exchange, but the fees go into restricted agency accounts, not the General Fund, Cabinet for Health and Family Services spokeswoman Gwenda Bond told Young.
"Senate Republicans were aware of the governor's plan to use the fees to pay for Kynect throughout the budget process this spring," Young writes. "In 2013, the Republican-led Senate passed two bills that would have required the governor to get legislative approval before expanding Medicaid or establishing a health exchange in Kentucky, but neither bill passed the Democratic-led House."
Young notes that Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd ruled in 2013 that Beshear has the authority to create offices in the executive branch to fulfill a federal law. The ruling was affirmed by the Court of Appeals; the state Supreme Court has not decided whether to hear the appeal.
- Republicans Question Need For Kynect; Beshear Administration Officials Say Using Federal Insurance Exchange Would Cost More
With the U.S. Supreme Court approving Obamacare subsidies on the federal health-insurance exchange as well as state exchanges, some Republican legislators in Kentucky say the state should close its exchange, branded as Kynect. But officials of Democratic...
- Citing Costs, Bevin Has Said He Would Shut Down Kynect; Actually, Insurance Companies Pay For It; Medicaid Is Another Matter
By Molly Burchett and Al Cross Kentucky Health News The governor's race between Democrat Jack Conway and Republican Matt Bevin will spotlight the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, an issue that affects all Kentuckians at least indirectly....
- Beshear's Office Says He Is Considering 'various Ideas' For Financing Ky. Insurance Exchange, Not Just A 1% Fee On Policies
"Gov. Steve Beshear?s administration is reconsidering how to pay for the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange amid increased criticism from some Republicans in the legislature and a court case challenging a fee Beshear created through executive order," Ryan...
- Judge Oks Medicaid Expansion And Health Insurance Exchange
A judge upheld Gov. Steve Beshear's decisions to expand Medicaid and set up the state's health-insurance exchange under federal health reform, but his adversaries say they will continue to fight in court. Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd's...
- Legislative Committee Delays Vote On State Insurance Exchange, Though The Move Is Only Symbolic
Kentucky legislators have made another symbolic move against creating a health insurance exchange, with the Interim Joint Committee on Health and Welfare delaying a vote on its creation until next month's meeting. The exchange is one of the cornerstones...