GOP Governors Remain Wary of Insurance Exchanges

A story in the Washington Post questions whether the decision of most Republican governors to refuse to build state health insurance exchanges and leave the task to the federal government is wise in the long run.

The feds will run the exchanges entirely or in a federal-state partnership in 32 states, the Post reported on Dec. 13, leading to concerns that ideological and political differences are trumping pragmatic considerations and more control over the program.

For instance, by refusing to build exchanges, states will let the federal government decide the standards that health plans must meet when offering benefit packages on an exchange. But Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey notes that getting answers from the feds on important HIX matters, such as the cost to states, has been difficult.