The director of a state board says Arkansas' work toward setting up its own insurance exchange will give the state more flexibility as it looks at changes to its Medicaid system.
Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace Executive Director Cheryl Smith Gardner told a legislative panel that there are many benefits to the state moving forward with its own marketplace for consumers to purchase insurance policies under the federal health law. Arkansas is currently using the federal exchange, but has been given preliminary approval to switch to a state exchange.
The U.S. Supreme Court last week ruled upheld the subsidies offered to purchase policies on the exchange nationwide, rejecting a lawsuit that said they should only be available in states that have set up their own exchange.
