Parnell spokeswoman Sharon Leighow said the state wouldn’t be getting involved but said local control still is maintained because exchanges operate under state laws and regulations.

The health insurance exchange is designed to allow people to shop for coverage options and easily compare the cost and coverage of different programs. The federal government has offered grants to help states implement their own designed plans, but Alaska was the only state never to take advantage of the money. The exchanges are required to be up and running by 2014.

Parnell’s Twitter account sent out a message about the decision, with the hashtag “#FullRepeal,” a slogan for many people hoping that the entire health care law will be repealed. The law was largely upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in late June, surviving a lawsuit that Alaska and many other states joined.

Parnell’s announcement means Alaska will join a growing list of states declining to start state-run exchanges.

The other major state-centric element of the Affordable Care Act is the expansion of Medicaid. Parnell has expressed “serious concerns” over the expansion but hasn’t made any announcement over whether the state will accept it or not.

Contact Fairbanks Daily News-Miner staff writer Matt Buxton at 907-459-7544 or follow him on Twitter: @FDNMpolitics.