Implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)

West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin (D) signed legislation on April 4th to authorize the creation of a health insurance exchange within the insurance commissioner’s office. Gov. Tomblin’s move makes West Virginia the second state behind California to authorize an exchange. On April 8th New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez (R) vetoed a bill passed by her state legislature authorizing an exchange.

On April 4th four House Democrats signed on as co-sponsors to the House measure introduced by Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT) mirroring the Senate’s bipartisan Wyden-Brown bill. The bill moves up state innovation waivers to 2014 instead of the 2017 deadline under the ACA for implementing state reforms in lieu of federal requirements for businesses and individuals. More on the legislation can be found here.