Federal health officials are accusing Texas of throwing up more obstacles to the roll out of health care reform in the state.
Gov. Rick Perry sent a letter this week to state Insurance Commissioner Julia Rathgeber saying the state must protect Texans by adopting stricter regulations than the federal government requires for so-called "navigators." Navigators will help people sign up for the upcoming health insurance marketplace.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services responded Wednesday that it was a "blatant attempt to add cumbersome requirements." Texas has refused to set up a private insurance marketplace under the Affordable Care Act, forcing the federal government to do it for the state.
A quarter of Texans are uninsured, the highest rate in the country.
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Information from: Houston Chronicle, http://www.houstonchronicle.com
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