Whether they like it or not, states are actively preparing for health insurance exchange markets

Whether they like it or not, states are actively preparing for health insurance exchange markets (Alberta Times) Like many Republican governors, Governor Brewer strongly criticized the U.S. president...

Whether he likes it or not, states are actively preparing for health insurance exchange markets (Alberta Times) Like many Republican governors, although Governor Brewer strongly criticized US President Obama's health care law, claiming that Obama's health care law overstepped its authority and endangered the rights of state governments and personal freedoms, Brewer and some Republican governors are actively preparing for an insurance exchange. Brewer admitted that a new insurance exchange is actively being operated. Other Republican governors also said that they are preparing for the insurance exchange in the November 16 health insurance bill. Ten days after the election, if states fail to propose their own insurance exchange regulations, they will adopt federally promoted health insurance exchange regulations. Oklahoma accepted Obamacare last week; Chaney, Mississippi's insurance commissioner, was surrounded by Republican officials at luncheons this summer asking for insurance expertise. "If we have to have one," said Hughes, Brewer's health policy adviser, "it would be better for Arizona to design it for itself than to have the federal government do it." But he also said Brewer wouldn't make a final decision before the election. After the health care bill takes effect in January 2014, all states are required to have a health insurance exchange, an online marketplace where any small business or individual can purchase a private health insurance plan. Americans without health insurance will be fined. If states fail to run their own health insurance exchanges by the deadline, the federal government will run them on their behalf. People with incomes between 133% and 400% of the poverty level will then be able to access more affordable prices subsidized by federal taxes through the deal. Currently, only 13 states and the District of Columbia have officially run their own health insurance exchange markets, and except for the governor of Rhode Island, who is an independent who leans toward the Democratic Party, the rest are all Democrats. But six Republican governors said they would not need to operate state health insurance exchanges, including Alaska, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, South Carolina and Texas. Some remaining governors, 22 of whom are Republican, are exploring their options. After Arizona, at least three others, Mississippi, Nevada and New Mexico, have done enough planning to meet the November deadline and decided to run their own health insurance exchanges. Most Republican governors, including Governor Brewer, are waiting for the results of the presidential election before making a final decision. Because Romney has promised to repeal the law if he wins.