OKLAHOMA CITY -
States will have a
little more time to decide if they will comply with part of President Obama's
Healthcare Act.
Oklahoma now has a
month to set up a health insurance exchange, or the Federal government will do
it for us. So far, Oklahoma
doesn't have a plan.
The exchange is an
online website where people without insurance could go to hopefully get
better rates. Up until this
point, Republicans had hoped Mitt Romney would win the election and this
wouldn't be an issue.
At the Ninnekah
Community Thanksgiving Dinner, most folks are finding President Obama's
Healthcare plan hard to swallow.
"It just seems
like the whole free country has just gone out the window," said Curtis
Hart.
Hart owns the Muscle Car Ranch in Chickasha. He doesn't
have health insurance. But with Obamacare, he will have to get
it. To help those like Curtis get the best rates, every state will
have to have a healthcare insurance exchange. Either the states set it up
themselves or the Federal government will.
"I'm afraid with
the deadline approaching us we're going to have this forced down our throats,"
said Rep. Joe Dorman (D).
Dorman has drafted a petition that would
call legislators in for a special session to decide what to do.
"This would have
given us a chance to develop something locally, and hopefully it would benefit
all of us better than a one-size-fits-all program," said Dorman.
Republicans are
talking about a solution.
"We are all still hearing from the many
voices within our caucus, all of whom share my desire to protect Oklahoma from
Obamacare," said Sen. Clark Jolley (R ) Edmond.
But in Ninnehak, folks agree the best protection at this point is a decision before the
deadline.
"If the Feds are
going to shove this down our throat, I would rather have our local government
govern the deal for us, instead of having to do what they say," said Joe
Bob Nelson, a rancher and bail bondsman in Ninnekah.
News 9 expects an announcement regarding health insurance
exchanges from Gov. Fallin before the end of the day on Friday. We are told the Governor also opposes a special session.
Oklahoma now has a month to set up a health insurance exchange, or the Federal government will do it for us.
