South Dakota Governor Says He Won’t Pursue Health Exchange

Gov. Dennis Daugaard has announced that his administration will not pursue legislation to establish a health insurance exchange during this year’s South Dakota’s legislative session.

In a news release, Daugaard says there is too much uncertainty right now to recommend setting up the kind of exchange included in President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul. The law envisions that states would build the exchanges, which would be designed to help people who buy individual insurance plans.

The governor says the U.S. Supreme Court might strike down the health care law, or Congress might eventually repeal it.

Daugaard says he hopes the law is struck down. But he says South Dakota will apply for a federal grant to plan for an exchange in case the state is eventually required to establish one.