I must have missed this story on Friday, but I believe it is worth re-examining. James Call of the Florida Current reports about a sharp exchange between Reps. Richard Corcoran and Perry Thurston over Thurston’s allegation that Republicans are stalling on implementing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).
On Friday members of the House Select Committee on PPACA were told by state insurance regulators that they, the regulators, have apparently done very little during the past 34 months to implement the law that will become effective in 2014. Thurston wanted to know why.
“Did you receive a letter from the Legislature or the previous leader instructing you not to prepare,” Thurston asked Wences Troncoso, a deputy commissioner with the Office of Insurance Regulation.
Corcoran interjected that “I can tell you we haven’t sent any letter, Rep. Thurston.”
“Mr. Chair, I respectfully would like for him to answer the question. I’m not referring to the current leadership,” Thurston said.
“Yes, we did receive a letter from prior leadership, Dean Cannon,” said Troncoso. At the time, Cannon was a state representative who became the Speaker of the House a month later.
“Just to clarify, any direction that has been given to date, it is our understanding all it said was don’t do anything you don’t have the authority to do. That is a much different statement than what I think you are saying,” Corcoran said.
More from Call here.
