Deadlines for state participation in setting up the federal health care law are on the horizon. Ignoring them won't stop the law from taking effect -- although the U.S. Supreme Court might -- but it would relinquish customization control to the federal government.
Health care exchanges, the marketplace for private insurers to offer plans to the uninsured, open for business Jan. 1, 2014. If states want to operate their own and they want the federal government to pay for the setup, they must apply for a grant before the end of June.
Beyond that, states that want to determine the services that must be covered for residents, known as "essential benefits," have until the end of September to decide if they want a voice in that decision. Otherwise, a mechanism in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act makes that decision for the state.
For the uninsured and those with minimal coverage, that might determine whether basic plans are better for the consumer in Ohio or in neighboring states.
http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/article/20120212/NEWS01/202120307/Deadlines-loom-health-care-law-local-control-stake
Hat tip: Lancaster Eagle Gazette
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