States are required by the Affordable Care Act to set up health insurance exchanges to make it easier for people to purchase health insurance. All states are required to either set up these exchanges or let the federal gov't do it for them. If they come up with a better way to get people health insurance, they can obtain a waiver to this requirement in 2017.
In 2011, Vermont passed a law creating a single-payer health care system that would make the creation of such an exchange redundant. Montana has also voiced interest in enacting similar legislation. We petition the Administration to allow states that want to implement universal health care to obtain waivers to the exchange requirement before 2017 so that they may bring real, quality universal health care to their citizens.



