Beshear Warns Bevin Against Scrapping kynect

The news conference in Frankfort was supposed to focus on the final report on the kentuckyhealthnow initiative, but Beshear instead focused largely on the success of the state’s health insurance exchange, Kynect, and the Medicaid expansion program.

“There are only two factors on which to judge the health-care solutions we’ve employed in the last eight years”, Beshear said.

Bevin also said he intends to roll back the Medicaid expansion, which has led to 400,000 Kentuckians getting health care coverage.

Bevin will seek a waiver from the federal government that would allow the state to design a program that varies from the benefits offered under Medicaid.

Waste the $283 million in federal grants used to create kynect.

But Beshear said new revenue and federal funds will make Kentucky come out ahead by $300 million. The federal exchange is paid for with a 3.5 percent tax on insurance premiums, but it is applied only to plans sold on the exchange.

Give up Kentucky’s oversight capability, access to data and knowledge about the operation of the exchange. Both are unpopular in Kentucky. “Today, their recommendation is even more solid”.

Kentucky was one of 13 states that chose to set up its own health insurance marketplace, and it won praise from President Obama and health care advocates.

Reduce the rate of cancer, cardiovascular deaths: Incidences of cancer and cardiovascular deaths, and smoking rates decreased.

“Ultimately it’s going to be yanked out from under them if you don’t have the money to pay for it, and that’s more cruel to me than if you have a thoughtful, logical way to ensure that we have healthcare access for everybody in Kentucky”, said Bevin. “We have demonstrated this is affordable”.

Beshear, in his first public comments since the November 3 election, said Friday that kynect is “the most successful exchange in this nation”.

Bevin accused the Beshear administration of trying to meddle with his health care plans but wouldn’t specify how.

What happens to Medicaid in Kentucky in the meantime?

Beshear credits his policies, including expanding Medicaid under Obamacare. That’s not to mention they had to provide less uncompensated care.