California pushes for insurance exchange despite fate of Affordable Care Act

California health insurance news update California seems to be moving ahead with its plans to build a health insurance exchange despite the current controversy surrounding the Affordable Care Act. The federal health care law is currently awaiting ruling from the Supreme Court after lengthy and uncomfortable litigation last month. Speculation suggests that the Court may rule the law as unconstitutional, or at least a part of which, which means that states would no longer be required to build insurance exchanges. California lawmakers are well aware of the possibility that the…

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Washington is one step closer to building its own health insurance exchange

Washington lawmakers have passed a bill that opens the way for a health insurance exchange to take root in the state. The bill will set up rules that will help the state prepare for the construction of the exchange and govern its operation for the foreseeable future. Legislators believe that this will help the state fully comply with the Affordable Care Act of 2010 and will help it adhere to federal deadlines. Currently, the exchange is expected to be fully operational by January 2014. The rules established by the bill…

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Massachusetts insurance exchange awarded funds to help it fall in line with the Affordable Care Act

Massachusetts is currently one of the few states that has a working insurance exchange in place. The state’s online marketplace has been a boon for those looking for affordable health insurance policies but it does not comply with the standards established by the Affordable Care Act. Instead of requiring the state to scrap the project and start from scratch, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and auxiliary arm of the Department of Health and Human Services, has awarded the state with funding to help legislators make necessary changes. He…

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Cutting individual insurance mandate could have dire consequences for health care, says RAND

A new study from the RAND Corporation, a non-profit institution that provides research and analysis for various political endeavors, suggests that axing the mandatory health insurance provision from the Affordable Care Act could be a costly mistake. The health care law has generated a large amount of controversy for its various provisions that introduce dramatic changes to the nation’s tax, insurance and medical services structure. None of these provisions have been quite as contentious as the health insurance mandate. The mandate, and the law as a whole, will be heading…

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Idaho to shun federal financial aid for building a health insurance exchange

Idaho legislators are opposing the idea of using federal grants to build a health insurance exchange in the state. Last year, the Department of Health and Human Services rewarded $20.3 million to the state in order to help with the project. Governor C.L. Otter was eager to use the money to push ahead the construction effort and prepare the state for a new health insurance system. Legislators failed to approve a plan that would put the money to use, however, they are now looking to build an exchange without federal…

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