Christie says Washington will run N.J. health insurance exchange

Gov. Chris Christie today issued a letter to Kathleen Sebilieus, the secretary of health and human services, declaring New Jersey will opt to have a federally run health insurance exchange, instead of a partnership with the federal government.The exchange, a major component of the Affordable Care Act, is intended to be an online marketplace for individuals to compare and purchase health care insurance plans, usually using subsidies from either the government or employers who decline to offer an option.
In December, Christie vetoed legislation creating a state-run exchange for the second time, indicating cost concerns and saying not enough information was available to implement an exchange.
Illinois, Arkansas and Delaware already have been approved to form a partnership with the federal government to run a marketplace, and 17 other states, plus Washington, D.C., have chosen to run their own exchanges.