Gov. Rick Perry officially refuses to set up Texas health insurance exchange

[w8liftinglady]

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/local-news/20121115-gov.-rick-perry-officially-refuses-to-set-up-texas-health-insurance-exchange-under-obamacare.ece

AUSTIN — Texas Gov. Rick Perry officially notified the federal government on Thursday that the state will not set up an exchange to help people buy health insurance.

Perry sent the letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius a day before the deadline to let Washington know that the state will not set up its own exchange. President Barack Obama’s administration gave states the option of setting up their own exchanges, partnering with the federal government or letting Washington do it.

The health insurance exchanges are required under the Affordable Care Act. They give people without insurance an online market place to buy health insurance that suits them. People with low incomes and special needs will get subsidized insurance when the exchanges begin operating in October 2013.

Perry opposes the federal health care law that is the signature accomplishment of Obama’s first term. The former Republican presidential candidate contends the law is federal overreach and opposes the rules it places on states to make sure nearly all Americans have health-care coverage.

[MannyGoldstein]

1. So he's letting Washington do it?

Probably a much better outcome for the good people of Texas.

[msongs]

2. cut off texas from federal largesse. they don't want it, fine. nt

[midnight armadillo]

5. texas pays more than it gets

sorry, but facts are facts.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2011/11/states-federal-taxes-spending-charts-maps

[kentauros]

10. Thank you for that link.

I could have used it a few days ago, but I knew it (or something similar) would show up again soon

[goclark]

3. Why doesn't he give up his paid for insurance?

[mucifer]

4. So many drama queens.

[lonestarnot]

6. So goody. We'll end up with single fucking payer one way or another!

[agtcovert]

7. I guess I should stop expecting logic...

How many times must we hear the complaining and whining about the federal government doing too much and not leaving more to the states?

Except when we're petulant little asses, of course.

[Kennah]

8. OK, so the people of Texas will get to use the federal exchange. No biggie.

This actually will be very helpful. If every state created it's own exchange, we would not get to see how well a federally managed exchange would work. Now, we will get to see a number of state exchanges, plus the federal exchange working for the benefit of several states, likely all Red.

This will be very valuable data for the time when we as a nation have grown up enough to embrace universal healthcare. We will know whether we want to have states managing health insurance for it's residents or if we want the federal government to do it. Perhaps, even if we go to state managed, some states will still balk and a hybrid approach will be needed.

It's all good.

[malokvale77]

9. Excellent.

Texas does a sucky job on all the programs it runs. Perry would just find a way to steal the money anyway.