Health insurance exchanges generating controversy, even within GOP

Politico Pro: Wis. Lawmaker Wants To Drop Exchange Grant
A Wisconsin state senator blocking health care reform implementation in the state is calling on Gov. Scott Walker's administration to return a major federal grant to build information technology infrastructure for new health insurance exchanges. So far, though, it looks like Walker isn't listening. Wisconsin is the last GOP-led state holding onto its Early Innovator grant (Millman, 11/8).

Kaiser Health News: Minnesota GOP Wrestles With Health Exchange Questions
Minnesota Republicans are in a tough spot. On one hand, they don't want to do anything to show support for the federal health care overhaul that they call 'Obamacare.'  On the other hand, the concept of an exchange -- an online marketplace where consumers will be able to comparison shop for health insurance -- is an idea they've embraced in the past. Gov. Tim Pawlenty proposed one for Minnesota long before Congress passed the federal health care law in March 2010 (Stawicki, 11/7 - part of a partnership including Minnesota Public Radio, NPR and KHN).

CQ HealthBeat: More Flexibility Needed In State/Federal Insurance Exchange Partnerships, NAIC Says
Unless states have more control over which operations they can control in state-federal partnerships on health insurance exchanges, some states may elect not to participate in such arrangements, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners wrote to the secretary of Health and Human Services on Monday (Bristol, 11/7).

Fox News (video): States Worry About Implementing Health Care Law
Officials say they're worried they're set up to be the bad guys [on state exchanges]. Dr. Marc Siegel weighs in on challenges (11/7).