Mississippi's insurance commissioner has the authority to operate a state health insurance exchange — not the governor, according to a report by the Clarion Ledger.
Under the federal health law, states are given the option to run their own online health insurance marketplaces or to have one established for them by the federal government. Gov. Phil Bryant, like most Republican governors, opposes the state-run option on the premise it would promote the expansion of government and increase regulation of healthcare.
But Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney, also a Republican, has been putting together plans for a state-run exchange, arguing it is a lesser evil than a federally-controlled one, according to the report.
To date, 20 states and the District of Columbia have opted to control their own exchanges or run it through a state-federal partnership.
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Under the federal health law, states are given the option to run their own online health insurance marketplaces or to have one established for them by the federal government. Gov. Phil Bryant, like most Republican governors, opposes the state-run option on the premise it would promote the expansion of government and increase regulation of healthcare.
But Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney, also a Republican, has been putting together plans for a state-run exchange, arguing it is a lesser evil than a federally-controlled one, according to the report.
To date, 20 states and the District of Columbia have opted to control their own exchanges or run it through a state-federal partnership.
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