Obamacare certainly is a resilient beast. The tax that isn’t a tax emerged victorious from multiple Congressional repeal efforts and a Supreme Court challenge in June, and the reelection of President Obama put an end to Mitt Romney’s campaign promise of repeal. The war isn’t over yet, though, as the battlefield has moved to individual states. Though a federal program, Obamacare relies on states to set up health insurance exchanges. The exchanges are scheduled to open on Oct. 1, 2013 to serve as insurance marketplaces for the uninsured.
Governors, though, are pushing back, and the Republican Governors Association succeeded in persuading Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to push back to mid-December a Friday deadline to declare whether they would set up exchanges.
States get more time to decide whether to build health exchanges http://t.co/mPopbaEy
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) November 16, 2012
Many governors are opposed to the idea of state-run health insurance companies; others just aren’t prepared and need more time — to finish reading the bill, perhaps. Gives you confidence, huh?
American Commitment President Phil Kerpen has been keeping track of just which states stand where, but note that things can change quickly as state legislatures wrangle internally.
States that officially said NO Obamacare exchange: AL AK GA IN IA KS LA ME MO NE ND OH SC TX VA WI WY. Not listed? Call your governor NOW!
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) November 15, 2012
Remaining UNDECIDED states on Obamacare exchanges: AZ, ID, NJ, OK, PA, TN. If you live there, CALL YOUR GOVERNOR!
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) November 15, 2012
Looks like last remaining undecided states on exchanges are AZ, ID, NJ, OK, PA, TN.
— Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) November 16, 2012
https://twitter.com/llondo/status/269207723537739776
One Tough Nerd? That’s Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder.
I am hearing that @FLGovScott is still strong on Obamacare exchange and Medcaid expansion, but is fighting GOP leaders in the legislature.
— Phil Kerpen (@kerpen) November 16, 2012
https://twitter.com/Crudotastic/status/269231965616615424
@Crudotastic They say we'll know tomorrow. http://t.co/9Qk1lTpm
— Ben Domenech (@bdomenech) November 16, 2012
.@GovWalker signals Wisconsin is unlikely to create health care exchange as called for under Obamacare: http://t.co/ib9VkZuW
— Journal Sentinel (@journalsentinel) November 16, 2012
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker told the New York Times that rather than cede control to the federal government, “I’d much prefer control at the state level, but the problem is, I don’t think they are really state-run. Why do I want to take on the potential risk to my taxpayers if I don’t really have any true authority about what’s going to happen?”
Missourians overwhelmingly passed Prop E to bar the creation of Obamacare health exchanges without a vote of the people …
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) November 13, 2012
More info on MO GOP moving to CAVE on Prop E, which voters passed by +60% to reject exchanges: http://t.co/WeX5DnWG
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) November 15, 2012
I LOVE TEXAS!! Gov. Rick Perry will NOT implement state insur exchanges under Obamacare! TEXAS PROUD !!! 🙂
— Lauren (@Texasponygal) November 16, 2012
Does anyone really know how Obamacare is going to work, or even what’s in it? Or who will pay for it? Why does that pesky question of paying for it keep coming up?
https://twitter.com/amandacarpenter/status/269182145463984128
Update:
As expected, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker confirmed today that he will not create a state health insurance exchange.
BREAKING: Walker says Wisconsin won’t set up health exchange.
— The Post-Crescent (@PostCrescent) November 16, 2012
governor walker's letter to HHS secretary on obamacare exchanges: http://t.co/tq9nto6J
— Vicki McKenna (@VickiMcKenna) November 16, 2012
Update:
Ohio’s Republican Gov. John Kasich was never expected to set up an exchange, but he took to Twitter today to make his case.
With no flexibility or control, it makes no sense for Ohio to run its own Obamacare exchange. We're saying NO. http://t.co/I37o6IK6
— John Kasich (@JohnKasich) November 16, 2012
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