Louisiana governor Jindal has told POLITICO Pulse that he will not establish an Obamacare Health Benefits Exchange in his state. According to POLITICO, this is the governor's first definitive statement on the question.
As I discussed a few days ago, Georgia governor Deal also took some time to make a final decision on a Health Benefits Exchange. But he eventually made the right decision: No exchange.
A shrinking number of Obamacare's opponents continue to insist that states can establish narrow exchanges, like Utah's apparently ineffective one, that will serve as a "firewall" against Obamacare. Governors like Deal and Jindal know that any exchange can only serve as fertilizer that will allow Obamacare's roots to grow deeper into the soil - and making repeal more difficult.
(Plus, I suppose that Deal and Jindal would like to avoid President Obama campaigning in Georgia, Louisiana, and nationwide in 2012 saying "Health reform is very flexible and responsive. Look: I made a deal with these Republican governors!".)
Research and commentary from a former senior executive in the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
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