PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 15, 2012
Lt. Governor Kinder urges Legislature to refuse health insurance
exchanges, Medicaid expansion
Despite claims to contrary, state under no obligation to act
JEFFERSON CITY — Lt. Governor Peter Kinder today issued the following statement on the Obama Administration’s call to states to decide by Friday (Nov. 16) whether they will create health insurance exchanges as part of Obamacare.
“Setting up a health insurance exchange is a direct violation of the Healthcare Freedom Act, passed by 71 percent of Missouri voters in 2010, which forbids Obamacare’s individual and employer mandates. This month, Missouri voters again revealed their reluctance to embrace Obamacare’s implementation by easily passing Proposition E, which prohibits the establishment of health exchanges without a vote of the people or their representatives.
“These exchanges will cost states between $10 million and $100 million per year, and will set up state officials to take the blame when Obamacare increases insurance premiums and denies care to the sick. There is no compelling reason for Missouri to implement this unpopular, expensive and intrusive federal power grab. I urge the General Assembly to reaffirm Missourians’ opposition to Obamacare by refusing to create a health exchange or expand Medicaid.”
