Notes to Missouri and Kansas governments

It takes an "expert" to tell our governments and representatives what we already know:

Expert: State stances on Obamacare may backfire

Washington may wind up with control of health care exchanges, expert says

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A health care expert said states like Kansas and Missouri who reject Washington's call to set up health care exchanges under the nation's new health care reform law may see their plans backfire.

Thomas McAuliffe, a policy specialist for the nonpartisan Missouri Health Foundation, said the health care exchanges allow people to pick health insurance plans, similar to using the Internet to compare prices for airline tickets.

"When you choose an insurance package, you will know what's in network, out of network and how much it costs," he said. "But the biggest thing is, you can compare prices and actual insurance products."

He said the law requires these descriptions to be written in understandable language and not insurance jargon.

Places like Missouri and Kansas, which have rejected calls to set up their own exchanges and their own websites with information, may end up with more Washington control than they want.

"By ceding control to the federal government, they have, by example, ceded all state control of setting up the exchange, setting up prices catering to the resources in our state to the federal government," McAuliffe said.

He said many people, particularly Missouri Republicans, still oppose the new health care law that many refer to as "Obamacare," but they like many of its elements when they are explained separately.

Many major elements of the new health care law will take effect in the next two years. States are making decisions on how to work with the new law now that the election is over.

Maybe now they'll listen.

I doubt it but it could be.

Here's hoping.

Read more: http://www.kmbc.com/news/kansas-city/Expert-State-stances-on-Obamacare-may-backfire/-/11664182/17478660/-/1394932/-/index.html#ixzz2Cj0z92xW

Read more: http://www.kmbc.com/news/kansas-city/Expert-State-stances-on-Obamacare-may-backfire/-/11664182/17478660/-/1394932/-/index.html#ixzz2Cj0lWTga


Link: http://www.kmbc.com/news/kansas-city/Expert-State-stances-on-Obamacare-may-backfire/-/11664182/17478660/-/1394932/-/index.html?absolute=true