LINCOLN - Conservative groups applauded Gov. Dave Heineman on Wednesday while U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) chastised him for dragging his feet on creating a state health insurance exchange.

Brad Stevens, executive director of Americans for Prosperity-Nebraska, said the governor is right to delay implementation of the federal health care overhaul in the state.

“Nebraska state government is our last line of defense from the president's disastrous health care law,” Stevens said.

But Nelson said the governor is engaging in obstruction and delay that serve to “protect the status quo and deny medical care to thousands of Nebraskans.”

Because the governor is not moving forward to create an exchange, Nelson said it is time for state lawmakers working with consumers and health care providers to step up.

“Nebraskans don't want the federal government running their health care,” he said. “The Legislature can make sure that doesn't happen.”

Heineman has said he intends to wait until after the election to decide about setting up a health insurance exchange.