Chaney moving ahead with insurance exchange despite opposition

JACKSON — Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney says he’s going to keep moving forward with plans for a state-run insurance exchange, despite opposition.

More than 30 tea party members yesterday attended a meeting of a committee that’s drafting recommendations to Chaney for how Mississippi’s exchange should look. They want Chaney to abandon his effort as a way of chipping away at the federal health care overhaul.

They say the way federal funding is structured, there’s no money available for the federal government to run state exchanges, and a chance that opting out will mean Mississippi has no exchange.

Chaney says that interpretation is incorrect and opting out will mean worse options and less control for Mississippi.

Chaney says the state’s exchange could be ready for federal approval in 60 to 90 days.