UPDATED Thursday, November 15, 2012 --- 11:32 a.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Gov. Scott Walker plans to announce Friday morning whether Wisconsin will move forward with implementing a health insurance exchange or defer to the federal government.
Friday is the deadline for states to inform President Barack Obama's administration whether they will implement the exchanges required under the Affordable Care Act known as "Obamacare" or let the federal government do it.
States can also opt for a hybrid approach.
Walker has been a staunch opponent of the law, halting implementation last year in the hopes that it would be overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court or Republicans would win in November and do away with the law.
Neither happened.
Numerous health care and business groups, insurers and others are pressuring Walker to have the state run the exchange.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
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UPDATED Sunday, November 11, 2012 --- 1:42 p.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- An array of interests including business groups and liberal health care advocates are united in pressuring Gov. Scott Walker to create a state-run exchange under the federal health care law.
Walker faces a Friday deadline to tell President Barack Obama's administration what he intends to do.
The governor met privately with advisers immediately after Obama won re-election and had no plans to publically announce what direction he's headed until after Monday.
Walker has three choices: create a state-run virtual marketplace for the public to shop for private insurance; let the federal government set it up; or a combination approach.
Those with an interest in the process contacted by The Associated Press say they have not been involved with Walker's administration on coming up with a plan.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
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Posted Wednesday, November 7, 2012 --- 10:36 a.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- President Barack Obama's re-election is forcing the hand of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who had stopped all efforts to implement the federal health care reform law in the hopes that Republicans would take over in Washington.
But Obama won and Democrats kept control of the Senate, meaning the Affordable Health Care Act will continue to go into effect. Wisconsin faces a Nov. 16 deadline to inform the Obama administration about whether the state will implement a health care marketplace, or exchange, or let the federal government do it.
Walker told reporters Wednesday in Milwaukee that he will be meeting with state officials this week to discuss the next steps. A spokeswoman for Walker's Department of Health Services declined immediate comment.
Republican legislative leaders say they need to discuss next steps.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
