MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Gov. Robert Bentley announced this afternoon that Alabama will not comply with a deadline in setting up state health insurance exchanges required under the Affordable Care Act.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services asked states to submit lists of essential benefits, that would be models for plans offered on the exchanges, by today.



Bentley said the state would not submit the information because there had been a lack of guidance from the federal government.

"As you are aware, I am a staunch opponent of the Affordable Care Act," Bentley wrote to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"As both a physician and a governor, I have determined that it is irresponsible and short-sighted to make a decision on essential health benefits by confining the decision to a select few plans and without having been offered clear guidance from the federal government."

Bentley has added his voice to a chorus of GOP governors speaking out against - or refusing to comply with - various portions of the Affordable Care Act, President Obama's landmark healthcare insurance overhaul.



The Affordable Care Act requires states to set up insurance exchanges, which are web-based marketplaces in which people can shop for health insurance plans. The exchanges are supposed to be up and running by 2014.

Bentley said the state simply does not have enough information on guidelines to make a decision that could impact the health care coverage of every person in the state.



Bentley also said that he was concerned health savings accounts were not part of the health care equation.



"The Affordable Care Act includes many provisions, all supposedly geared toward making health insurance affordable, yet it does not include any significant mention of health savings accounts. I contend that the law does not make health insurance affordable and negatively affects consumer choice," Bentley said.

Today's deadline was expected to serve as a gauge of attitudes toward the exchanges. However, the real test is expected to come Nov. 16 when states are required to submit a blueprint for how their exchanges will operate.

"We will let the federal government know what our intentions are by Nov. 16," Bentley Press Secretary Jennifer Ardis said.



Today's requirement was considered with something of a soft deadline with no severe repercussions for the state for refusing to comply. According to Kaiser Health News if a state does not choose then the benchmark will be the largest small group plan in the state.

Industry officials say in Alabama that is Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama's 320 Plan.

Rep. Greg Wren, R-Montgomery, who has previously criticized the Bentley administration's progress toward establishing an exchange, praised Bentley's decision. "We hope the feds hear our collective call for partnering with us instead of dictating to us," Wren said.



