I wonder when Texas is going to secede -- before or after they totally adopt the provisions of the president's healthcare reform law.
Meanwhile, despite Mr. Perry’s stated opposition to a federally-mandated health insurance exchange and the state’s participation in lawsuits aimed at overturning federal health reform, officials at the Texas Department of Insurance acknowledge that since last fall, with the help of a $1 million grant from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, they have been working quietly to plan for a health insurance exchange.
“We’ve been going full speed ahead on implementation, doing the due diligence so that we can be on time with what the law says,” said John Greeley, a spokesman for the agency.
Lucy Nashed, a spokeswoman for Mr. Perry, said the governor is aware of the grant, which she said is exploratory and does not require Texas to set up an exchange. While Mr. Perry prefers local solutions to Texas’ health care problems, Ms. Nashed said the governor remains hopeful the courts will overturn the federal health law. “The governor’s firm belief that Texans should be in charge of our health care programs is unchanged,” she said.
And I assure you, the wingnuttiest wingnuts will absolutely participate when they discover that the exchange premiums are more affordable, portable and attainable.