Washington Wire: Romney Adviser Backs Obama Health Exchanges

[flpoljunkie]

JULY 16, 2011, 5:58 PM ET
Romney Adviser Backs Obama Health Exchanges

SALT LAKE CITY — Former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt, a top supporter and adviser of Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romney, strenuously backed the core piece of President Barack Obama’s health-care law and urged the states to move forward together in adopting health insurance exchanges.


Reuters U.S. Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney greets voters after at a town hall meeting campaign stop in Derry, New Hampshire, Friday.

Speaking to a bipartisan group of governors at the National Governors Association, the former Republican governor who served as secretary of health and human services in the Bush administration, called the exchanges where individuals and small businesses can purchase health plans “a very practical solution to a problem that needs to be solved.” He warned governors who are reluctant to move forward with their state-level exchanges that their intransigence will only empower federal regulators.

And he said the health care law that passed is a compromise that gives the states the flexibility they need.

“This is a profoundly important time for the states,” said Mr. Leavitt. “States need to lead.”

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2011/07/16/romney-adviser-backs-obama-health-exchanges/

[Schema Thing]

1. Thank you for your sanity, Mr. Leavitt

[Hoyt]

2. While I preferred single payer, the exchanges and the cap on insurer's admin/profits ain't bad.

It will help hold costs down (although they'll never be as low as we want without a major change to the delivery system). There are also some other provisions in the health care reform laws that should be of benefit.

Now, if the powers that be would figure out a way to throw in a public option . . . . . .