ALBANY – A controversial plan to create a statewide health insurance exchange was left out of the 2012-2013 budget agreement, but may be enacted via an executive order from Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
That’s according to a report this week from the Legislative Gazette. According to supporters, a health insurance exchange would allow individuals and small businesses greater ease in purchasing health insurance plans. The health exchange would extend coverage to more than 1 million uninsured New Yorkers, while lowering costs by 66 percent for individuals and 26 percent for small businesses.
The highly contested exchange did not make it into the final budget, due to reservations by Senate Republicans.
States are mandated to enact a health exchange by 2014 by President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act. If a statewide exchange is not in place, the federal government will set one up for the state. The Patient Protection/Affordable Care Act has been under fire lately, with a Supreme Court case questioning the constitutionality of the act. A decision is expected in June.
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