If lawmakers in the Illinois House and Senate delay voting past summer 2012, the state could lose more than $80 million in federal startup grants. The quasi-governmental organization is expected to help more than 1 million Illinois residents obtain affordable health insurance in 2014 and beyond.
Some health insurance companies in Illinois do not want the board to be able to negotiate rates with insurers, a move they say would represent a step towards a single-payor healthcare system. Elena Butkus, regional vice president with Aetna, said competition helps keep the cost of insurance down.
Others, such as Jim Duffett, executive director of the Campaign for Better Health Care, believe consumers would suffer if the insurance industry is allowed to have representation on the exchange board, or if the exchange doesn’t negotiate insurance rates with payors.
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