Governor, Health Secretary Release Statements on ACA Ruling

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear and the head of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services say the state will move forward with setting up a health benefit exchange in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling about the Affordable Care Act. 

Preliminary work is already underway to establish the statewide benefit exchange, which creates a market for people to buy insurance. Governor Steve Beshear was not available for interviews Thursday, but released a statement saying he will soon sign an Executive Order to create the exchange and that it will up and running by 2014. That’s when individuals are required to be covered under some type of health insurance plan or pay a fine.  What’s not yet clear is how Kentucky will address the Medicaid portion of the Affordable Care Act, which would expand coverage to more low-income adults. Beshear said state officials will continue to review the Supreme Court’s opinion.