Ige: Hawaii senators need time on health exchange

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HONOLULU — Hawaii state Sen. David Ige says a crush of testimony on a bill to shore up the state’s troubled health exchange means lawmakers need more time to make a decision.

HONOLULU — Hawaii state Sen. David Ige says a crush of testimony on a bill to shore up the state’s troubled health exchange means lawmakers need more time to make a decision.

The bill (HB 2529) seeks to raise up to $15 million per year for the Hawaii Health Connector. That money could come from the state’s general fund or a fee on insurance companies that are not participating in the exchange.

The exchange built under President Barack Obama’s federal health care overhaul is required to sustain itself financially by the year 2015. But right now, it can’t.

Lawmakers in the Senate Ways and Means committee on Friday postponed decision making until Monday. Ige says that will give them a chance to hash out the issues.