Washington Governor Chris Gregoire recently signed into law a bill setting the rules for insurers who are preparing to participate in the state's online insurance exchange, despite the fact that the state's attorney general, Rob McKenna, is among those opposing the Affordable Care Act before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Gregoire vetoed part of the bill, specifically a provision that would have closed the exchange if it were not self-sustaining, The Associated Press reports. He stated that this was done due to an "undue risk of litigation."
Some state officials and lawmakers opposed the move, partly because the Supreme Court case is not yet concluded and because there is no need for the state to set further rules beyond those established by the federal government. The exchanges are meant primarily to be venues for individuals to buy personal insurance and for small businesses to secure affordable employee benefits, although larger companies may be able to use them in the future.
To comply with the federal mandate, exchanges must be operational by the beginning of 2014, which some supporters of the legislation say is not very long given the scope of the project. If an exchange is not established by the deadline, the federal government will take charge of its creation.
