Texas Insurance Agency Weighs Obamacare Navigators

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — State insurance regulators are delving into Gov. Rick Perry's order that navigators who will help Texans purchase coverage under the new federal health care law receive more training.

The Texas Department of Insurance on Monday is scheduled to hold a stakeholder meeting in Austin. It comes after Perry directed the agency earlier this month to make sure navigators complete 40 hours of training in addition to their federal instruction.

Federal health officials are accusing Texas of throwing up more obstacles to the rollout of health care reform. Aides to Perry have defended the directive as a common-sense safeguard.

The health insurance marketplace is open for sign-ups Tuesday.

A partial federal government shutdown is looming over congressional Republicans demanding a one-year delay of Obamacare before passing a routine federal funding bill.

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