Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced his intent to establish a state based healthcare exchange during Wednesday’s update and announced 170 new cases of COVID-19.
Governor Beshear says the pandemic has only highlighted the problems with Kentucky’s healthcare system and how great of a need exists for better and more equitable healthcare. He says he filed a letter of intent with the federal government to develop a state run exchange, which he says will lower premiums and also save the state money.
He says more information will become available later in the year, as right now they are waiting to hear back from the federal government before moving forward. Kentucky had a state-based exchange previously with Kynect—it was eliminated by former Governor Matt Bevin—but Governor Beshear says it would simple to restart that system and update it to suit modern needs.
There were 170 new confirmed cases of coronavirus from Tuesday to Wednesday, bringing the state total to 12,995 with 329,710 individuals now having been tested and 3,444 people have recovered. Six more Kentuckians have died, putting that total at 518. The Governor says while the state is currently not in the decline he would like to see, the data shows cases are in a plateau.
The state continues to try and process unemployment claims, with around 7,000 still pending from March, with the Governor apologizing for the delays and issues and saying they’re now meeting with claimants face-to-face in an attempt to correct it. On Thursday there will be a dedicated line for people who filed in March and on Friday a line for people who filed in March and April.
Tennessee gained 313 cases of COVID-19 with their total now at 31,143 and 497 deaths. Montgomery County is at 341 cases, Robertson County is reporting 658 and Stewart County remains at 16 cases.