Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has to decide by Friday his intentions regarding the setting up of a statewide health insurance exchange. The exchanges are required under the federal Affordable Care Act. States have to inform Washington by Friday whether they plan to establish their own health insurance exchanges, or whether they want the federal government to create an exchange for them.
Starting in 2014, Americans and small businesses will be able to shop for insurance coverage on the new internet-based exchanges.
Governor Haslam, along with many other Republicans, opposed the federal health care law, but The Tennessean reports he sees the advantage of the state running its own insurance marketplace—as opposed to ceding that power to Washington.
However, for such an exchange to be established, it would first have to be approved by Tennessee’s GOP-dominated state legislature.
At state budget hearings today in Nashville, government leaders are expected to detail the pros and cons of the available options
