“Be there or be square” was the talk of the Statehouse Tuesday, as behind-the-scenes negotiations intensified on Gov. Butch Otter’s plan to enact an Idaho-run health insurance exchange under the Affordable Care Act.
A new bill aimed at capturing votes will be presented at 9 a.m. by freshman Rep. Luke Malek, R-Coeur d’Alene.
The bill, which remains private until Malek introduces it, is on Wednesday’s agenda in the House Health & Welfare Committee.
Malek deferred questions late Tuesday, repeatedly answering, “I’ll be able to tell you more tomorrow.”
House freshman are considered pivotal to Otter’s prospects. Last week, the Senate Commerce & Human Resources Committee voted 8-1 for Otter’s bill. Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill, R-Rexburg, said Senate Bill 1042 will not be debated this week.
It’s not clear whether Malek’s bill is a replacement for SB 1042, or is a “trailer” bill meant to accompany the Senate measure.
We have to pass the bill in order to see what is in the bill.
I remain concerned over the lack of legislative oversight. First, the legislators are non-voting members. That means they cannot vote over the governing structure of the state exchange.
Second, we’re stuck having to finance the state exchange. The Affordable Care Act says the state exchange must be self-financed by 2015. So, legislators will either have to vote to increase fees to follow the “self-financing” provision of the law or violate the Affordable Care Act.
Claiming “legislative approval for fee increases” doesn’t matter because Idaho must ensure its finances the state exchange. Besides, the two legislative members are non-voting anyway.
Third, Section 1311 of the law says no state legislature may not pass a law that “conflicts or prevents … the application of regulations from the Secretary [of Health & Human Services].”
Why doesn’t this paper investigate the Chief of Staff for the Governor’s cost and enrollment numbers?
Thank you.
They won’t investigate that because it doesn’t fit the narrative they want to sell I guess.