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...
- 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...
- Lawsuit Alleges State Health Insurance Exchange Is Unauthorized
Tea Party activist David Adams filed a lawsuit Monday challenging Gov. Steve Beshear's legal authority to create Kentucky's health insurance exchange without approval from the General Assembly. The governor created the exchange by executive order...
- 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...
- 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...
Health News
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 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and would allow individuals earning up to to 133 percent of the federal poverty level to buy health insurance through a state-run marketplace.
Rep. Addia Wuchner, R-Florence, made the motion to table the vote on the order Wednesday, saying she does not have enough information about the cost of the exchange and how it will operate. "All we have is the executive order" from Gov. Steve Beshear creating the exchange, Wuchner said. The exchange must be in operation by Jan. 1, 2014. The first year, it will be paid for by the federal government. The second year, it will cost $67 million, but the state will use grant money to pay that sum, reports Beth Musgrave for the Lexington Herald-Leader. In the long term, fees from insurance companies are supposed to pay the costs.
If the committee opts to reject the order, Beshear can override it, Musgrave reports. It's the second time the legislative has acted against the creation of an exchange. Earlier this summer the Capital Projects and Bond Oversight Committee voted along party lines against a lease that would have housed employees of the exchange. Finance Secretary Lori Flanery has the power to overturn the vote and rent the space. (Read more)
Rep. Addia Wuchner, R-Florence, made the motion to table the vote on the order Wednesday, saying she does not have enough information about the cost of the exchange and how it will operate. "All we have is the executive order" from Gov. Steve Beshear creating the exchange, Wuchner said. The exchange must be in operation by Jan. 1, 2014. The first year, it will be paid for by the federal government. The second year, it will cost $67 million, but the state will use grant money to pay that sum, reports Beth Musgrave for the Lexington Herald-Leader. In the long term, fees from insurance companies are supposed to pay the costs.
If the committee opts to reject the order, Beshear can override it, Musgrave reports. It's the second time the legislative has acted against the creation of an exchange. Earlier this summer the Capital Projects and Bond Oversight Committee voted along party lines against a lease that would have housed employees of the exchange. Finance Secretary Lori Flanery has the power to overturn the vote and rent the space. (Read more)
- 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...
- 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...
- Lawsuit Alleges State Health Insurance Exchange Is Unauthorized
Tea Party activist David Adams filed a lawsuit Monday challenging Gov. Steve Beshear's legal authority to create Kentucky's health insurance exchange without approval from the General Assembly. The governor created the exchange by executive order...
- 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...
- 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...