As the guy leading work on Tennessee’s health insurance exchange, Brian Haile is watching intently as U.S. Supreme Court legal arguments wrap up today to determine whether the federal health reform law is constitutional.
Haile says he’s fascinated by the legal debate, but he also considers the case a distraction to state planning efforts that eventually will determine whether Tennessee sets up an exchange of its own to offer insurance — or allows the federal government to operate the one planned here.
...
But state authorities also see a need to keep their planning process going forward in case the reforms stay in place. Many argue that if an exchange must be created, it would be better for the state to run it since local officials presumably have a better grasp of Tennessee’s insurance market than federal bureaucrats.
So far, state officials have received $4.85 million in federal grants to fund the planning — including actuarial studies. Consumers would be able to buy coverage on the exchanges, including subsidized plans for people with limited incomes.
...
As it stands now, states will have multiple chances beginning after this fall’s U.S. presidential elections to apply for funds to set up their own exchanges. An earlier requirement of a June 29 deadline was dumped in favor of a series of much later dates.
“Essentially, we can wait to see what happens with the Supreme Court and see the outcome of the elections before asking the state legislators to pass enabling legislation,” Haile said.
Nashville’s health-care community is also keeping a keen eye on the Supreme Court hearing. The outcome has implications for players such as hospital chains and surgery centers.
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120328/COLUMNIST03/303280107/Getahn-Ward-TN-studies-health-exchange-despite-legal-distraction
Hat Tip: The Tennessean
No comments:
Post a Comment