Kentucky shutting off kynect Tuesday

Starting Tuesday, Kentuckians looking for a qualified health plan for 2017 will have to go through healthcare.gov, the federal exchange, instead of the state-run kynect. Healthcare professionals from across the state have differing viewpoints on the switch.

While a news release from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Human Services anticipates a smooth transition to the federal exchange, Chris Keyser, executive director of Fairview Community Health Center, is not so optimistic. Keyser said she's against the move because it will lead to a decline in the number of insured people in the state.

Gov. Matt Bevin ordered the end of the kynect program, which has dramatically reduced the number of uninsured in Kentucky. More than 500,000 Kentuckians received health insurance through kynect, the state exchange that is part of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

"When Governor Bevin was elected, his goal was to disconnect and dismantle Kentucky's state exchange and to push everyone into the federal exchange," she said. "He's basically wanted to undo all this progress and his reasoning is the state cannot afford it."

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