Governor Rick Snyder says he hopes Republican lawmakers will act before the end of the summer to create an online place for people to comparison shop for health coverage.
The governor and Republicans in the state House have been at odds over the health care exchanges called for in the federal Affordable Care Act. GOP leaders say they wanted to wait for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule before acting. Now that the court has upheld the law, Republicans say they still have a lot of questions.
House Republicans will begin hearings next week. Governor Snyder says he hopes those will wrap up soon.
“I respect the legislative branch, and they have questions and issues," says Snyder. "I still encourage them to move forward promptly and get their questions answered, and look at this because it’s about health care for our citizens.”
The governor says waiting too long puts federal grants to implement the law at risk, and could force Michigan into a national exchange run by a federal agency instead of the state.