KY on Track to Meet Health Exchange Guidelines Despite Heated Debate

Governor Steve Beshear says Kentucky is on track to meet federal deadlines to create and manage its own health exchange, as mandated by the new health care reform law. That's despite heated debate inside the joint Health and Welfare committee last month over the legality of the governor's executive order creating the exchange.

Republican State Senator Katie Stine says the walkout of Democratic lawmakers at a September 19th meeting of the committee would end the controversy.

“If this executive order—which I submit to you is flawed—but if it were to stand, and we were to take no action, to put it in cement, it will fall, it will fail, by virtue of what our rules are, how our state operates," she said.

Governor Beshear says the executive order was legal and chalked the debate up to politics.

“It’s an election year, and the Affordable Healthcare Act is an issue in the election, and I understand all that," he said. "But you know what, as governor, I don’t have time to play those games.”

Beshear says it's important that deadlines are met. If Kentucky fails to implement the changes required by the law, the federal government would take over management of the exchange.