By Dave Lucas
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-974898.mp3
Albany, NY – As the end of the legislative session draws near, New York has yet to pass a Health Insurance Exchange bill. Unless legislation is passed, New York will fail to meet the June 30th deadline to apply for up to $100 million in federal grants. Capital District Bureau Chief Dave Lucas has an update.
Aspects of two proposals for creating a health insurance exchange to comply with the federal Affordable Care Act were combined into one bill passed Thursday by the Assembly. One of the original proposals was drafted by Senate Leaders, the other by Governor Andrew Cuomo's office.
The exchange would be a public benefit corporation with nine voting directors including the state health commissioner and superintendent of insurance. Seven directors will be appointed by the governor and two by the Legislature.
Leslie Moran, Senior Vice President with the New York Health Plan Association, believes the legislation sets a viable operational framework for an exchange in the Empire state. The exchange would create a website where consumers can compare insurance plans. It would NOT have regulatory powers over insurers. It also would have NO active purchasing authority.
A Senate spokesman tells WAMC the bill is under discussion. The Federal Government has ruled individual states exchanges must be in place by January 1, 2014.