News
US Government OKs Dismantling Kentucky Health Exchange
By: Associated Press
Posted on:
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) – Federal officials have approved Gov. Matt Bevin’s plan to dismantle the state health exchange.
The exchange, known as kynect, was launched in 2013 and has been a way for Kentucky residents to shop for health insurance or enroll in Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act. After Nov. 1, people in Kentucky will use the federal health exchange to find coverage.
The Courier-Journal said the approval was given Tuesday, but Andrew Slavitt of the U.S. Health and Human Services Department says the agency is concerned about the transition’s impact on those who gained coverage through kynect. Slavitt said in a letter to Bevin that it’s important that the transition be clearly explained to consumers.
Bevin, a Republican, vowed to dismantle the health initiatives of previous Gov. Steve Beshear, a Democrat who took full advantage of federal health care law.