Connecticut- Without Federal Law, Some Pieces of Health Reform Could Continue in Connecticut

Connecticut officials are working to create a new health insurance market that will open next year, hire a CEO to run it and prepare for an influx of new Medicaid recipients by 2014.

In effect, they're racing to implement a law that might not exist for long, at least in its current form.

But those involved in putting federal health reform into action say that Connecticut isn't likely to stop moving forward on a major piece of the act, regardless of how the law fares before the U.S. Supreme Court or under a new Congress after this fall's elections.

"I think if there were to be some major change, such as the [act] was rendered unconstitutional and therefore removed, that we would be far enough along down the line that we would have a lot of what we need in place," said Jeannette DeJesús, special adviser to the governor for health reform.

In particular, the creation of a marketplace for buying insurance coverage, known as a health insurance exchange, could happen even if the federal law is altered substantially, those planning the state's exchange say. Connecticut has already received more than $7 million in federal funds to develop the exchange, and is expected to have applied for most or all necessary federal start-up money by June, when the Supreme Court ruling is expected.


http://www.ctmirror.org/story/15733/without-federal-law-some-pieces-health-reform-could-continue-connecticut
Hat Tip: Connecticut Mirror