N.H. House Votes to Ban Health Exchange

May 16, 2012

The House has voted again to bar New Hampshire officials from planning, creating or participating in a state health-care exchange.

The House voted Tuesday to add the health exchange prohibition to a Senate bill that guarantees health insurance to people under age 19 and prohibits excluding them from coverage for preexisting conditions.

The Senate tabled a House-passed bill on the subject last week. Senators indicated they want to wait for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on the Affordable Care Act.

Supporters argue a state health-care exchange would be federally controlled, and the bill would help force Congress to repeal the federal health care law.