PPACA Committee Recommendation to Hold On State Exchange
CONTACT: Katie Betta, (850) 487-5229
PPACA COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION TO HOLD ON STATE EXCHANGE
Senate will not put forward legislation to create a state exchange during the 2013 Legislative Session.
TO: All Senators
FROM: Don Gaetz, President
SUBJECT: PPACA Recommendations
DATE: February 19, 2013
Please see the letter below from Chair Negron and Vice Chair Sobel regarding the recommendation from the Select Committee on PPACA that Florida should not establish a state or partnership exchange at this time.
I appreciate the Committee’s thorough consideration of this important component of the federal law. Considering the extensive review and bipartisan consensus with which this recommendation was put forward, I intend to accept the recommendation of the Chair and Vice Chair. The Senate will not put forward legislation to create a state exchange during the 2013 Legislative Session.
February 18, 2013
The Honorable Don Gaetz
President of the Senate
404 S. Monroe Street
409, The Capitol
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100
Dear Mr. President,
The Senate Select Committee on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) continues to hold meetings to analyze the federal law and related regulations, assess the potential impact of these regulations in Florida, evaluate the State’s policy options, and determine what State actions, if any, are needed to protect the interests of Floridians.
Clearly, the committee’s review has revealed the complexities of the issues and diversity of opinion about the federal law. Despite differences in viewpoint, one area of agreement has emerged. After hearing testimony from a variety of health care experts, public input, and the comments from Members, there seems little dispute that, at least for the present, Florida should not establish a state exchange.
During today’s meeting, we held a preliminary discussion on how the Select Committee should proceed to determine our recommendations for the full Senate. During the discussion, there was a general consensus that regardless of federal deadlines or timetables, the health insurance exchange required by the Affordable Care Act should be developed and operated by the federal government. The recommendation will be for Florida to monitor and evaluate the experiences of other states before considering possible future involvement in exchange functions and before committing Florida resources to this activity.
Many more recommendations remain under consideration; however, we wanted to inform you of the current status of this important decision as soon as possible. This conclusion will enable us to focus on those remaining important decisions and better inform your planning for the flow of legislation and the Senate calendar. Our hope is that now we can work to clarify expectations on the operation of the exchange for both our constituents and Florida’s businesses.
We look forward to completing the work of the Select Committee in a timely manner and so you have the opportunity to consider this and other recommendations and refer any necessary legislative proposals to the various standing committees and the full Senate during the upcoming Session.
Sincerely,
Joe Negron, Chair
Eleanor Sobel, Vice Chair
