Texas won't participate in health insurance exchange, Perry says

Gov. Rick Perry notified the federal government Texas won't create its own health insurance exchange.

Gov. Rick Perry notified the federal government that Texas won't create its own health insurance exchange.

In a Nov. 15 letter to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Perry called the exchanges irresponsible and an overreach of the federal government.

"In its current form under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and through the yet undisclosed rules set forth by CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services), the exchange presents an unknown cost to Texas taxpayers," Perry said in the letter. "It would not be fiscally responsible to put hard-working Texans on the financial hook for an unknown amount of money to operate a system under rules that have not even been written."

Meanwhile, Sebelius said Nov. 15 states have four additional weeks to decide whether they will create their own exchanges under the health care reform law. Last week, the government extended to Dec. 14 the deadline for states to draw up their blueprints for the exchanges. This is also the new deadline for states to submit a decision.

Bayan Raji covers health care.

Follow Your Favorites with My News

My News is a way to create a customized news feed based on companies and industries that matter to you.

Source: http://feeds.bizjournals.com/~r/bizj_houston/~3/WwGFaZiFytc/texas-wont-participate-in-health.html

tiger woods masters jet crash virginia beach petrino clayton kershaw tyler perry face transplant maundy thursday