Tennessee Gov. Haslam says emergency exchange rules not intended as 'stumbling block'

photo Bill Haslam
Arkansas-Tennessee Live Blog

NASHVILLE - Republican Gov. Bill Haslam said today the state's new emergency rules requiring background checks for people giving advice to consumers about Tennessee's new federally run health insurance marketplace aren't aimed at hindering the program.

"It's certainly not intended to be a stumbling block," the governor told reporters today.

He said that while he did not support President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, which created the exhanges that crank up on Tuesday, he wants them to succeed.

"I do," Haslam told reporters. "The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land right now and whether I agree with it or not doesn't matter. In our case, the federal government is going to be running the exchange. ... But certainly if it's in place we want it to work well."

Haslam's comments come as his administration prepares to go to court later this afternoon to defend itself from a lawsuit on the background checks for health exchange "navigators."

Upcoming Events