Posted on 08/03/2015 4:17:13 AM PDT by rootin tootin
When former Maryland governor Martin OMalley signed the bill that created his states Obamacare exchange, he bragged that it was being established using no state funds due to federal grants. Later, when the online marketplace exploded on the launch pad and a new IT company was hired to untangle the wreckage, OMalleys top health official assured Maryland voters that this would be paid for with leftover federal grants. Consequently, it surprised many when Marylands Attorney General announced a $45 million settlement with the original contractor the proceeds of which would be split between the federal government and the state.
But why would the state receive any part of the settlement if, as OMalley and his officials were at pains to point out, all the money used to build and repair the exchange came from Washington?
Maryland was given more than $179 million in federal grants. About $73 million was paid to Noridian Healthcare Solutions, the original contractor with which the states AG has purportedly reached the repayment agreement, and another $41 million was paid to the IT firm that cleaned up the mess. Even after its disastrous debut, then, Maryland still had about $65 million left in federal money. Its difficult to believe that any state government, even one run by a profligate Democrat like Martin OMalley, went through all that cash and still had to raid the states coffers to get its Obamacare marketplace up-and-running.
(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
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