(TOPEKA, Kan.) — The federal government will create a health insurance exchange in Kansas after Governor Sam Brownback refuses to support the state creating its own.
The governor's office released the following statement Thursday afternoon:
“Kansans feel Obamacare is an overreach by Washington and have rejected the state’s participation in this federal program. My administration will not partner with the federal government to create a state-federal partnership insurance exchange because we will not benefit from it and implementing it could costs Kansas taxpayers millions of dollars.
“Any other elected official who supports implementation of a federal-state partnership exchange should pursue legislation in the 2013 legislative session where lawmakers can debate and vote on the proposal.”
States have until Nov. 16 to inform the federal government if they plan to create their own health insurance exchanges, partner with the federal government or have their exchanges run by federal agencies.
Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger's office had prepared a partnership application and sought grant money to implement the exchange. Gov. Brownback delayed the final decision on implementing the health care law until after Tuesday's presidential election.
