Thursday's landmark Supreme Court ruling also means Virginia has some catching up to do to be in compliance with the law. Virginia could miss a deadline to set up a new health care exchange without federal interference.
All 50 states are required to set up health care insurance exchanges. Democratic State Delegate and House Minority Leader David Toscano likens them to marketplaces for individuals and businesses to compare policies.
"We think that's a great way to provide citizens choice and create a competitive marketplace to draw down the cost of health insurance," Toscano said.
However, the clock is ticking for Virginia to create its exchange. States must have them set up by January 1, 2014. But as an incentive to have them done sooner, the federal government is offering up to a million dollars to each state to have them up and running a year early.
That money runs out at the end of the year, and if states do not set them up by January 1, 2013, the federal government will come in and do it for them.
"I'm not one to let the federal government control how my health care exchange in Virginia gets created," Toscano said. "I'd rather have Virginians in control of that."
Creating an exchange requires action by the General Assembly. They're not back in session until after that first January 1 deadline.
"Now, we're in this position that we almost have to have a special session so that we can enact this prior to next January 1," Toscano said.
Only Governor Bob McDonnell can call a special session. A spokesperson for the governor said, "We are reviewing the court ruling and we will have further comment regarding future actions and decisions at the appropriate time."
The federal government has set up a website where you can view the progress of those healthcare exchanges by state.
Click here for more information.
