Obamacare: The nightmare of setting up state insurance exchanges

American Thinker ^ | 11/26/2012 | Rick Moran

[SeekAndFind]

What a clusterfark.

The Hill:

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"The Obama administration faces major logistical and financial challenges in creating health insurance exchanges for states that have declined to set up their own systems.

The exchanges were designed as the centerpiece of President Obama's signature law, and are intended to make buying health insurance comparable to booking a flight or finding a compatible partner on Match.com.

Sixteen states - most of them governed by Republicans - have said they will not set up their own systems, forcing the federal government to come up with one instead. Another five states said they want a federal-state partnership, while four others are considering partnerships.

It's a situation no one anticipated when the Affordable Care Act was written. The law assumed states would create and operate their own exchanges, and set aside billions in grants for that purpose."

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Oh my, are the American people who are forced to use these exchanges in for a big surprise:

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"Since different states have different insurance markets and different eligibility requirements for Medicaid, Obama's Health and Human Services Department can't simply take a system off the shelf as a one-size-fits all failsafe.

"You can't simply deploy one federal exchange across the board," said Jennifer Tolbert, director of state health reform at the Kaiser Family Foundation. "Each state is different - their eligibility systems are different, their insurance markets are different. [HHS is] going to have to build these exchanges to fit into the context of each state."

[Dianna]

Yes, you will buy from the Fed exchange for a cheaper cost, but as the article says it will be total confusion.

If there is a Federal exchange, why would the states need to each set up their own? I thought the states were where the Exchange take place.

[what's up]

Obamacare calls for State exchanges, but 16 states (mostly GOP) are refusing to set them up. They don't want to use their own resources.

Thus, the Federal Gov't has to come in and do it.

[Dianna]

Thanks for clarifying. I had thought you were saying each state would have an exchange along with the fedgov having one as well.

[what's up]

No, just that certain state exchanges are going to be set up by the Feds.

[mj1234]

I think the “fees”- (really taxes) were already written into O’bummer care.- if the states do not pay their “fee” what happens?- Federal funds dry up for that state?- O’bummer invades the state?- this is why we at Free republic -KNOW this law is illegal- and why everyone should
be outraged- but we are screwed....

NO ONE IN MINNESOTA KNOWS that we are even trying to implement this HIX system with our TAX dollars!!!
They have NO idea what is being taken away from them.

[mtrott]

Well, the Supreme Court ruling on Obamacare specifically stated that the feds could not withhold Medicaid funds from any states that elected not to create a health care exchange. Basically an acknowledgement of the 10th Amendment.