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August 10, 2011

Panel to tackle health exchanges

Gov. Paul LePage has named nine members to an advisory group tasked with developing a state health insurance exchange in line with federal health care reforms.

The group, comprised primarily of members with ties to the health care industry, is scheduled to make recommendations to the Legislature by Sept. 1 about the exchanges, mandated under the federal Affordable Care Act by 2014 to provide the uninsured with private insurance options as well as subsidized plans, the Maine Public Broadcasting Network reported. Health care advocacy group Consumers for Affordable Health Care expressed disappointment that the group didn't include more consumer representatives, while the committee's chair, Joseph Bruno, said the technical nature of the panel's discussions could overwhelm someone with no background in health insurance systems, MPBN reported.

Among the panel's other members are Dan McCormack, CEO of InterMed; Kristine Ossenfort of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield; Joel Allumbaugh, CEO of National Worksite Benefit Group and a Maine Heritage Policy Center staffer; and David Clough, Maine state director of the NFIB, according to a press release from the governor's office.

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