Kentucky has taken another step toward a statewide health insurance exchange with Governor Steve Beshear’s appointment this week of an executive director to head the initiative resulting from federal health care reforms. Carrie Banahan had been executive director of the Kentucky Office of Health Policy.
Beshear issued an executive order in July creating the statewide health insurance exchange, which will allow people to comparison shop online for insurance by January 1st, 2014. The federal government will create exchanges starting in 2014 for states that don't develop their own. Beshear had said previously Banahan would lead the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange. He sent paperwork to the secretary of state's office Wednesday making the appointment official.