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...
- 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...
- 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...
- Republicans Moving To Gain A Say Over Beshear's Decisions About Insurance Exchange, Medicaid Expansion; Democrat Dismissive
Kentucky Senate Health and Welfare Committee Chair Julie Denton, R-Louisville, left, said yesterday that she would file legislation that would block Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear from setting up a health-insurance exchange or expanding Medicaid coverage...
Health News
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 Committee that said Beshear doesn't have authority to create new agencies, but only to rearrange existing agencies with the legislature's approval, Nick Storm of cn|2 Pure Politics reports.
Democrats at the meeting were caught off guard and ultimately walked out after raising objections, Storm reports. They claimed Beshear was following federal law, and said the legislature should consider the matter when it reconvenes in January. Legislators hoped they would get answers from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services about costs and operations of the exchange, which they didn't get at their meeting last month.
The exchange will match up the uninsured with private health insurance companies, and is designed to serve those who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but don't have employer-sponsored insurance. After Democrats left the meeting, Republicans voted to report the committee's findings to the Legislative Research Commission and the governor. The vote remains symbolic unless it is cited in a lawsuit challenging the exchange, which now seems likely. (Read more)
Democrats at the meeting were caught off guard and ultimately walked out after raising objections, Storm reports. They claimed Beshear was following federal law, and said the legislature should consider the matter when it reconvenes in January. Legislators hoped they would get answers from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services about costs and operations of the exchange, which they didn't get at their meeting last month.
The exchange will match up the uninsured with private health insurance companies, and is designed to serve those who make too much to qualify for Medicaid but don't have employer-sponsored insurance. After Democrats left the meeting, Republicans voted to report the committee's findings to the Legislative Research Commission and the governor. The vote remains symbolic unless it is cited in a lawsuit challenging the exchange, which now seems likely. (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...
- 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...
- 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...
- Republicans Moving To Gain A Say Over Beshear's Decisions About Insurance Exchange, Medicaid Expansion; Democrat Dismissive
Kentucky Senate Health and Welfare Committee Chair Julie Denton, R-Louisville, left, said yesterday that she would file legislation that would block Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear from setting up a health-insurance exchange or expanding Medicaid coverage...