The Hill has a very interesting piece on the logistical and financial challenges for the Obama administration in setting up health exchanges for states that have refused to accrue large state deficits by setting up health exchanges that are part of Obamacare and must be set up by January 2014.
The exchanges were designed as the centerpiece of President Obama’s signature law, and are intended to make buying health insurance comparable to booking a flight or finding a compatible partner on Match.com.
Sixteen states — most of them governed by Republicans — have said they will not set up their own systems, forcing the federal government to come up with one instead.
Another five states said they want a federal-state partnership, while four others are considering partnerships.
It's a situation no one anticipated when the Affordable Care Act was written. The law assumed states would create and operate their own exchanges, and set aside billions in grants for that purpose.
Why?
"Each state is different — their eligibility systems are different, their insurance markets are different. [HHS is] going to have to build these exchanges to fit into the context of each state."
Every state must have an exchange by Jan. 1, 2014, meaning HHS doesn’t have a lot of time to do a massive amount of work. The department could quickly run through a $1 billion fund designated for implementing the exchanges.
Obama can forget about asking the House of Representatives for addition appropriations to fund this mammoth nightmare, ain't gonna happen.
While the report says 16 states have already decided not to set up the exchanges, according to Obamacare Watcher, there are 20 states that are refusing to set up the exchanges, and 11 states undecided.
Wesley Smith over at NRO's The Corner has some advice for stalwart Obamacare opponents.... go limp. He calls it "good old fashioned passive resistance."
Mr. Smith also has two words for liberals that sputter, "but but but, it's the law and obstructing the law is just wrong!!!!"- Sanctuary Cities
