ML-Implode News - Affording the Affordable Care Act

... the law allows states to create a separate insurance program, called the Basic Health Program, for people who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid and too little to afford insurance on the state exchanges, even with federal aid. Under such a plan, the federal government will give the subsidies directly to the states, instead of to individuals and families. The states are supposed to pool the money and then use the financial leverage to push insurers to offer less expensive coverage.
A number of states, including New York and Washington, are eager to create such programs, but they can't until the Obama administration issues the regulations that will govern them. "We all thought we were going to be able to start in 2014 and then we waited for the rules, and we waited and waited and waited," said Varon, who sits on a state board that will develop Washington's Basic Health Program when the rules are finally written. Some now fear states won't be able to launch the programs before 2016.

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Affording the Affordable Care Act