Vote On Health Exchange Bill Expected This Week
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) -- A House of Delegates committee is expected to vote on a bill to create the framework for a health insurance marketplace that is designed to provide coverage for the 700,000 uninsured people in Maryland.
Health and Government Operations chairman Delegate Peter Hammen said the committee could vote on the cumbersome bill Friday afternoon.
Building on legislation passed last year to create the health care exchange, a mandate of federal health care reform, the bill sets up standards and regulations to run the program.
The federal law requires states to begin operating the exchanges by 2014.
During a work session on the legislation Monday, some members of the committee said they worried the General Assembly did not have enough oversight on the exchange and what benefits it will offer.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
