States that have n
ot yet decided how they will be complying with the healthcare reforms must act quickly.
Wisconsin is among the states that have not yet decided whether or not it will be running its own health insurance exchange and how it will be applying the required elements of the Affordable Care Act, but the deadline is now looming.
Governor Scott Walker has been delaying the final healthcare reform decisions for more than a year.
The reason that Walker gave for his delays was one that has been common among several states: that he wanted to see the outcome of the election before he made a final move. As the victory of President Obama means that the healthcare reforms will be staying in place, Wisconsin can now make its health insurance exchange and other decisions with a better understanding of what the future holds.
Equally, the state is now facing a tight deadline if it does want to create its own health insurance exchange.
The deadline for Wisconsin to choose whether or not it will be creating and running its own health insurance exchange is November 16. If they do not choose to tell federal officials that they will be taking on the task by that time, then the program will be run by the federal government instead of the state.
Wisconsin officials will be meeting over the coming days in order to address the steps that the state intends to take in order to comply with the healthcare overhaul. Walker said that his intention is now “to move forward in a way that ultimately looks of for the best interests of the people of the state; not only as consumers, but also as taxpayers.”
The health insurance exchange and other healthcare changes are still somewhat controversial within the state. Citizen Action of Wisconsin spokesperson, Robert Kraig, stated that there are advantages and drawbacks to having either the state or the federal government running the process. He feels that if Wisconsin wishes to work with both consumers and providers, then it would be best to take on the task for itself. However, it also sees that if the goal of the state is simply to undermine the overhaul to the healthcare system, then abstaining and allowing federal control would be the top option.
