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Obama's re-election victory forces Va. Gov. Bob McDonnell to make tough decisions as he mulls federal insurance exchange option
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Check your watch time's running out the -- -- December 14 now that is one states must decide whether to set up their own health insurance exchanges under Obama care.
Or not.
Fourteen Republican governors are you saying no to creating their own exchanges six agreed to set up exchanges and I'm still undecided.
Now one Republican governor still on the fence is Virginia governor Bob McDonnell and today and this is a surprise.
Democrats in the Virginia senate urging the governor to call a special session to discuss -- health care overhaul government down.
-- -- there.
I Greta thanks -- on.
-- instead we are in terms of setting up these state exchanges and Ashton you have made your decision yet.
If you don't set up a state exchange goes to a federal people -- of -- -- Federer exchange I'm curious what are the pros and cons why would you set up one why would you set up one.
-- now that the president has has won.
And -- Supreme Court has rolled.
The self care law's going to go into effect but there's several ways to comply for the exchange as you've never state.
Or federal or partnership exchange.
They're normally most of us what Republican governors rather do things at the state level -- -- the federal government do it but the problem is we've been asking for months and writing.
-- for information.
And the rule making to give us the information about how.
The state and federal strangers are going to be set up and it was still have a great absence of information so I've written.
Secretary Sebelius we did get an extension last Thursday but there are numerous unanswered questions and so.
If they're not gonna provide the information -- the only thing to do was to default.
And let the federal government set it up either way you comply with the law.
-- what if you said the -- was gonna cost you money right.
Well there's couple problems one I don't know how much control -- -- really -- the state level.
Because they're still rule making that hasn't been done it may -- state in name only and really be federal mandates that we just run.
And get stuck with the price tag at the federal government doesn't completely -- that's a great concern were already at over burdensome Medicaid program.
That is killing most governor's budgets around the country so we want to know what we're getting it -- if there's no answers.
Now we're gonna have a federal -- state I can't recommend that we set it up in Virginia.
What does your democratic legislation want in this general session what -- -- looking for the well they want a state based -- -- in the big Obama administration.
Very much wants.
-- -- governors to choose the option of setting up a state based exchange so we can run -- it's I don't think they're confident that they can or have the money they can do it.
And it's likely they want us to expand Medicaid.
But that's the biggest issue not the -- exchange we're gonna have some type of exchange to that's the law.
But the Medicaid expansion of the Supreme Court ruled as you know -- yet they cannot penalize us for our existing Medicaid dollars.
By.
In order to if we don't expand Medicaid.
And you know it's already.
A huge budget buster -- we wanna be able to have a good -- -- and care for the -- But if we don't have dramatic reform in Medicaid.
Which is a broken system of limited flexibility the states.
Expanding it would be irresponsible.
It would break our budget -- Obama himself said that for years ago but that's what they're asking us to do now.
I in terms of if they federal government has to set up the exchange because -- -- your state doesn't or some other state doesn't.
Is there federal money set aside or does Obama care provide for -- and deceptive for the money to set up these exchange -- and that might be outlets are gaping hole in this legislation if it's not there.
Well there's money right now for both state and federal.
Exchanges in fact they just extended the deadline for about two years to get grant money to set up state based exchanges so I think there's a very soft deadline anyway.
The federal government wants to know by December 14 so we don't opt for -- federal exchange they can set it up.
All of their on their own to be ready for the January 1 4014 deadline they've got some money for the short run Greta but you don't Washington's broke.
And they're gonna have to cut funding for states and for their own spending entitlement reform and what were afraid of -- we agree to do some of these things on our own.
They're gonna stick us what the price tag of the federal level.
Not provide the resources and that's not a good value proposition for the people Virginia or any other state so -- that's those are the challenges we face right now.
Governor thank you and good luck we watch you know what I can make a decision by the -- -- -- any idea.
By the fourteenth.
We will make about a fortunate that we don't have any better information we can't we can't buy have a state basic change and will join most of the governors including a handful of Democrats that'll -- up for the federal -- fault.
We want to have a good health care system but we cannot have.
-- a system where they give us the price tag.
And limited information.
And that's not a good deal.
Thank you sent.
Okay.
