Alabama Governor Bentley Refuses to Help State’s Citizens

Not only are you, Governor Bentley, an embarrassment to the state and nation, but as a physician, you discredit the healing arts & profession, and contribute to sickness, disease and ill health of the people of the great state of Alabama.
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Feds allow more time on health insurance exchange decision, but Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley says no thanks

By Kim Chandler | kchandler@al.com
on November 16, 2012 at 12:07 PM, updated November 16, 2012 at 5:35 PM

Alabama Governor Dr. Robert Bentley, MD (R), adamantly refuses to help the state’s citizens by making a list of health insurance carriers, called an “exchange.” – (AP photo)

MONTGOMERY, Alabama — At the request of some GOP governors, the federal government is giving states another month to decide if they want to run a state-based health insurance exchange.

Gov. Robert Bentley is saying no thanks to the extra time, saying his decision stands to not set up a state exchange.

“The extension from HHS did not change the governor’s decision,” Bentley Press Secretary Jennifer Ardis said in an e-mail.

Bentley, as other GOP governors have done, announced Tuesday that he would not set up a state exchange under the Affordable Care Act.

Bentley made the announcement official in a two-sentence letter today to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

“This letter serves as official notification that Alabama will not be setting up a state-based health insurance exchange, nor do I intend to pursue a partnership exchange,” Bentley wrote.

Today had been the deadline for states to decide whether they want to set up and run their own state exchange, essentially a marketplace for people and businesses to shop for insurance with some people getting subsidies to offset their costs.

Sebelius sent a letter Thursday to Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia saying that deadline has been extended until Dec. 14.

The governors, on behalf of the Republican Governors Association, had requested more time to make a decision, according to the letter from Sebelius. Both Jindal and McDonnell have said they don’t plan to set up an exchange.

“We are confident Governors will have enough time to

Insurance costs and health-care reform: Are health insurers making huge profits?

Are health insurers making huge profits?

Mar 5th 2010, 14:15 by M.S.

YESTERDAY Barack Obama dropped in on Kathleen Sibelius‘s meeting with executives of America’s top five health insurers and read a letter from a constituent. Natoma Canfield, a self-employed house cleaner, had carcinoma 16 years ago; it has been in remission for 11 years. Last year Anthem Blue Cross, who provide her with a high-deductible ($2,500) individual plan, raised her premiums 25%, to $6,075. This year they’re raising them another 40%, to $8,500. Ms Canfield  closes her letter, “Please stay focused in your reform attempts as I and many others are in desperate need of your help.”

There’s no doubt that the Obama health-care reform bill would