Virginia Leaders Disagree With Ruling, Even As They Prepare To Follow

Virginia's Republican governor and attorney general are denouncing the U.S. Supreme Court's decision upholding President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli panned the decision, saying: "This is a dark day for the American people, the Constitution, and the rule of law. This is a dark day for American liberty." Cuccinelli says the law's requirement that individuals buy health insurance or pay a penalty is unconstitutional.

On the other side of the aisle, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Tim Kaine calls the law an important first step in curbing discriminatory insurance company practices and increasing access to health care.

Gov. Bob McDonnell says the law will harm economic recovery, infringe on citizens' liberties, hurt small businesses and impose unfunded mandates on states. And while he didn't agree with the substance of the law or the ruling, he said Virginia would be ready to implement it.

"Virginia will evaluate the steps necessary to comply with the law," McDonnell said in a statement. "While we have awaited this decision, planners have been working to identify necessary resources and issues to be addressed to ensure Virginia implements this flawed law in the most effective and least costly and burdensome way possible."

January is the deadline for states to create the legal authority to operate healthcare exchanges, online marketplaces for healthcare products that are frequently compared to Travelocity.

An advisory council created in response to the Affordable Care Act is recommending that the base minimum coverage for the exchange should be a product known as the anthem bronze plan.

Once members of the exchange have been appointed, they will have the final say in which products are available for purchase in the online market place, where people currently without healthcare can buy into a plan subsidized based on their income.