Health News
- Beshear Announces Launch Of Kynect, The State's New Online Shop For Health Insurance; Open Enrollment Starts Oct. 1
Gov. Steve Beshear has announced the launch of Kentucky?s Healthcare Connection, which is referred to as Kynect and is Kentucky's one-stop onlineshop for the state's new health insurance exchange. Beginning next year, most Americans will be required...
- Republicans Reject Governor's Executive Order Creating Health Benefits Exchange; Move Is Only Symbolic For Now
Republican legislators voted yesterday against Gov. Steve Beshear's executive order creating the Kentucky Health Benefits Exchange, required by federal health reform. Sen. David Givens of Greensburg offered a motion to the legislative Health and Welfare...
- Beshear Tells Feds He Plans To Create An Insurance Exchange
Gov. Steve Beshear. Photo by The Courier-JournalGov. Steve Beshear has re-confirmed his plans to create a state health insurance exchange, this time telling the federal government of his intention. Beshear sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary...
- What's The Status Of A Health Insurance Exchange In Kentucky?
By Tara Kaprowy Kentucky Health News At the end of February, Kentucky received $57.8 million in federal funds to help set up a health insurance exchange or marketplace under federal health-care reform. Officials say all the money will be used to plan...
- Kentucky Receives $57.9 Million To Set Up Insurance Exchange
Kentucky received $57.9 million Wednesday to help set up a health insurance exchange or marketplace ? though lawmakers have made no move to make that happen. Kentucky is one of 10 states to receive this latest round of federal insurance exchange establishment...
Health News
Beshear issues order to create insurance exchange as GOP legislators carry symbolic vote against lease to house it
As Gov. Steve Beshear issued an executive order to establish a state insurance exchange this afternoon, lawmakers voted along party lines against a lease that would have housed employees of the exchange, once again illustrating the divisive nature of the controversial Affordable Care Act.
Members of the Capital Projects and Bond Oversight Committee voted 4-3 against the nearly $300,00-per-year lease, with Sen. Tom Buford of Nicholasville, Sen. Jared Carpenter of Berea, Rep. Steven Rudy of Paducah? all Republicans ? voting no, along with Independent Sen. Bob Leeper of Paducah. Leeper caucuses with Senate Republicans.
Rep. Jim Wayne, Sen. Julian Carroll of Frankfort and and Rep. Jim Glenn of Owensboro, all Democrats, voted yes. Discussion focused on the uncertainty of the cost of implementing provisions in the Affordable Care Act and the state budget.
The committee does not have the power to block the lease permanently, but Beshear will have to go through some additional procedural steps.
The exchange is considered one of the cornerstones of the federal health-care reform law aimed at containing costs by spurring competition among private insurers. It will be a marketplace to shop for different packages of state-approved health insurance and will be available to people who earn up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level. To offset the cost of their premiums, those participating in the exchange will receive subsidies in the form of tax credits. The Medicaid program will also fall under the exchange's umbrella.
Small businesses with fewer than 100 employees can also qualify for the exchange, a move that is meant to boost their purchasing power.
Beshear said, "We will work closely with insurers, providers and consumers and other groups to develop a robust, responsive, and user-friendly portal that will help Kentuckians find the coverage that best suits their needs."
He said the exchange will be in operation starting Jan. 1, 2014 as the federal law requires. The state has already received more than $66 million to plan for the exchange. States had the option to run the exchange themselves or have the federal government do so for them. But Audrey Tayse Haynes, secretary for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, said Kentucky is better geared to running its own program since it "is more in tune with the unique regional and economic needs of our citizens, as well as the health insurance needs of individuals, Kentucky small businesses and nonprofits." (Read more)
Members of the Capital Projects and Bond Oversight Committee voted 4-3 against the nearly $300,00-per-year lease, with Sen. Tom Buford of Nicholasville, Sen. Jared Carpenter of Berea, Rep. Steven Rudy of Paducah? all Republicans ? voting no, along with Independent Sen. Bob Leeper of Paducah. Leeper caucuses with Senate Republicans.
Rep. Jim Wayne, Sen. Julian Carroll of Frankfort and and Rep. Jim Glenn of Owensboro, all Democrats, voted yes. Discussion focused on the uncertainty of the cost of implementing provisions in the Affordable Care Act and the state budget.
The committee does not have the power to block the lease permanently, but Beshear will have to go through some additional procedural steps.
The exchange is considered one of the cornerstones of the federal health-care reform law aimed at containing costs by spurring competition among private insurers. It will be a marketplace to shop for different packages of state-approved health insurance and will be available to people who earn up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level. To offset the cost of their premiums, those participating in the exchange will receive subsidies in the form of tax credits. The Medicaid program will also fall under the exchange's umbrella.
Small businesses with fewer than 100 employees can also qualify for the exchange, a move that is meant to boost their purchasing power.
Beshear said, "We will work closely with insurers, providers and consumers and other groups to develop a robust, responsive, and user-friendly portal that will help Kentuckians find the coverage that best suits their needs."
He said the exchange will be in operation starting Jan. 1, 2014 as the federal law requires. The state has already received more than $66 million to plan for the exchange. States had the option to run the exchange themselves or have the federal government do so for them. But Audrey Tayse Haynes, secretary for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, said Kentucky is better geared to running its own program since it "is more in tune with the unique regional and economic needs of our citizens, as well as the health insurance needs of individuals, Kentucky small businesses and nonprofits." (Read more)
- Beshear Announces Launch Of Kynect, The State's New Online Shop For Health Insurance; Open Enrollment Starts Oct. 1
Gov. Steve Beshear has announced the launch of Kentucky?s Healthcare Connection, which is referred to as Kynect and is Kentucky's one-stop onlineshop for the state's new health insurance exchange. Beginning next year, most Americans will be required...
- Republicans Reject Governor's Executive Order Creating Health Benefits Exchange; Move Is Only Symbolic For Now
Republican legislators voted yesterday against Gov. Steve Beshear's executive order creating the Kentucky Health Benefits Exchange, required by federal health reform. Sen. David Givens of Greensburg offered a motion to the legislative Health and Welfare...
- Beshear Tells Feds He Plans To Create An Insurance Exchange
Gov. Steve Beshear. Photo by The Courier-JournalGov. Steve Beshear has re-confirmed his plans to create a state health insurance exchange, this time telling the federal government of his intention. Beshear sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary...
- What's The Status Of A Health Insurance Exchange In Kentucky?
By Tara Kaprowy Kentucky Health News At the end of February, Kentucky received $57.8 million in federal funds to help set up a health insurance exchange or marketplace under federal health-care reform. Officials say all the money will be used to plan...
- Kentucky Receives $57.9 Million To Set Up Insurance Exchange
Kentucky received $57.9 million Wednesday to help set up a health insurance exchange or marketplace ? though lawmakers have made no move to make that happen. Kentucky is one of 10 states to receive this latest round of federal insurance exchange establishment...