17 States surrender to health care law, set up exchanges - Washington Times

States surrender to health care law, set up exchanges - Washington Times

President Obama’s signature health care reforms are accelerating into the new year, with a growing number of state-run insurance markets getting the green light from the federal government, even as critics decry the law as a dagger to small businesses and a tea party icon attempts to repeal it for the 34th time.

In recent weeks, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has trumpeted its approval of health care “exchanges” — virtual marketplaces of insurance plans — that state officials will run on their own or in conjunction with the federal government. So far, 17 states and the District have obtained conditional approval for in-house exchanges.

On Thursday, officials provided conditional approval to state-based exchanges in California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Vermont and Utah, while Arkansas received conditional approval to operate an exchange in a state partnership with the federal government.

Read more: http://p.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jan/6/states-surrender-to-health-care-law-set-up-exchang/#ixzz2HKBT3mxK
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