The Senate Commerce & Human Resources Committee voted 8-1 Thursday afternoon to send Gov. Butch Otter’s health insurance exchange bill to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass.
The lone dissenter was Boise Democrat Branden Durst, who said he preferred a motion that made no recommendation. Durst’s objection to Senate Bill 1042 is the Legislature’s establishment of a quasi-government entity to run the online insurance exchange mandated by the Affordable Care Act. Durst said that model, akin to the current State Insurance Fund, doesn’t allow adequate legislative oversight.
A potentially good sign for Otter: the two true freshman in the Senate — GOP Sens. Fred Martin of Boise and Todd Lakey of Nampa — both backed the bill. (Neither Martin or Lakey have served in the Legislature; nine other Senate newcomers served in the House).
Prospects for passage of the bill are considered better in the Senate than in the House, which has 31 freshman lawmakers, only three with prior legislative experience.
Lakey explained his vote to a packed Capitol auditorium.
“I despise Obamacare, I hate the federal mandate,” Lakey said. “But I have to look at it as the reality of the way it stands now. The reality is we’ll be faced with a federal exchange if we don’t do this.”
The motion to back the bill was made by the Senate’s senior member, Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, who owns an insurance agency. “Abandoning the field of battle does not make the federal government weaker,” said Cameron, another opponent of the Affordable Care Act.
States defaulting to a federally run exchange will accelerate the move to a single-payer health-care system, Cameron argued. A state exchange, he said, would be less expensive to run and offer lower-cost insurance plans.
Democrat Dan Schmidt of Moscow noted that his GOP colleagues were in a posture of acquiescence. “I’m going to say this is an opportunity,” said Schmidt, a physician. “We have problems with health care in this country. We have problems with health care in this state. We will not solve these problems if we do not discuss them and move forward.”
The other yes votes on the committee were GOP Sens. John Goedde of Coeur d’Alene, Jim Guthrie of McCammon, Jim Patrick of Twin Falls and committee Chairman John Tippets of Montpelier.
As well they ‘Otter’.
I would like to ask Mr Otter if the $21 million dollars he received had anything to do with his decision to forth with Ottercare??
It is a lie that unless we set up the exchange the Federal Govt will come in and take over. That scare tactic is a lie.
Also ss the law was written, without a state-created exchange, the individual mandate cannot be enforced. Is anyone listening?
More dirty politics that all Idahoans will pay for. Shame on Butch Otter. Shame there is always a pay off to encourage decision making even if it is bad for us.
Since my comment was altered for some reason, let me clarify. I stated that state law does not allow for Obamacare yet that law is being ignored by Butch Otter and crew. Did $21 million Butch received make a difference is how I have heard it.
(see “ss law…” comment)
Let me say this again and you check the law,t if Governor Otter gets his way, he will be in direct violation of Idaho’s Health Care Freedom Act. Check it out then comment.
I curious why Mr. Cameron believes healthcare costs will be lower because the state is running the exchanges. They still have to obey the same rules and laws that will create the “rate shock” that the Obama administrative is concerned about. Guarantee issue, new fees/ taxes, community rating with rate band compression, less flexibility with fewer options(only four plans to chose from and no higher deductibles than $2000), all these items will cause insurance rates to skyrocket no matter what the state does.
The way I see Obamacare is a very expensive trip in idealism. There are many flaws in the law, it will not save money and the Obama administration is literally buying acceptance of the law. Isn’t that what we need, poor health care under the pretense of improvement?
I will say again, I wondered what Otter was getting to push thru the exchange in Idaho and now I know it is $21 million. Idaho fought very hard against Obamacare and now we are ushering it in. Apparently there was motivation for politicians to rush it thru. Will this crap ever stop? I don’t see it but never give up. Live a courageous life and don’t look back. Peace.
Joe I can’t argue with some of your points but the state exchange works better for us. Idaho agents stay involved to assist clients, Regional carrier can build plans more sensitive to Idahoans. Wait til community rating hits Idaho…most places that have tried it nearly killed their private insurance carriers. Even liberal WA. had to grossly alter their community rating scheme to obtain even close to reasonable rates. A federal exchange will basically be take what we give you…period.
I’m not a fan of Obamacare. The fact is choices will be very limited no matter how the state feels about building plans more sensitive to their needs. The facts are that there will only be 4 choices, bronze, silver, gold and platinum. Whatever that’s going to mean. Also, because of the minimum loss ratio part of the law, how long will carriers see the value of the agent when they need to cut up to 5 or 6% of their administration costs to make a profit? They will simply use the agents to get the business on their books. Soon, the carriers will say they can’t afford to pay commissions because of MLR and blame Obamacare. I’m sure the upper management of BC and BS already are aware of this but will deny that is their strategy.
Don’t forget under Idaho law……………Obamacare can not be forced on us, but is. Remember to vote.
You mean like the Patriot Act or federal gun laws like the Brady Bill , federal speed limits , and thousands of others . I think you need to review your mighty Idaho and its all powerful laws .
Let me say this again and you check the law,t if Governor Otter gets his way, he will be in direct violation of Idaho’s Health Care Freedom Act. Check it out then comment.
I can not say I think Obamacare will improve medical care. From people I know it will hurt it. We will lose physicians and water down medical care with less trained practioners for one. I would put to you the Federal government has failed virtually every social program and service, ie, Medicare, mail service, social security and we want a federally controlled Healthcare system? Yikes.
The new Federal law does not need Idaho legislators to validate it rather we need states to speak against it. When does legislature represent the values of the people and the best interests of the people? Sure Otter says to go forth with an exchange is the practical thing to do. This is contentious legislation that is not completed in many minds. I think Otter jumped too soon and the people of the State will pay dearly for poor legislation and possibly one that will be later modified greatly. We all know this was a back door law and many states still oppose so we get Otter saying we need to hurry up this ill conceived burden. Another “yes” man in political office is all we need.
It’s difficult to say what we are dealing with. At first I wanted Idaho to have some control over the situation, but as we all know…in the immortal words of the great sage “Nancy Pelosi”, we will just have to pass it to see what’s in it. (with leadership like that….well I digress)
So, here is to Nancy, cheers, bottoms up and we will fix it later….
We have to look at the positive, Nancy Pelosi is in California, her home is there and unless she is flying her non stop private jet on tax payer money, she is probably getting another face lift or passing legislation that helps her husband amass over $200. She is so cute!
I believe that it will affect everyone differently as our health needs are all different .
I have noticed that insurance companies are all ready setting up for new customers and pricing the insurance to be competitive . Our policy is half what it was two years ago and we (both having had cancer)are high risk with previous conditions .
I prefer to look at it as a glass half full with manny more people served than before . It would be selfish to only think of ones self (longer waits in the waiting room)when the greater good is a healthier community .
Jim, you can look at it any way you want. Reality may be different. Maybe it will be okay and maybe it won’t.
Thank you for a reasoned response. We must do something about healthcare and even if the AHCA is imperfect, It is forcing us to address this issue.
I, for one, support the act and I don’t have an issue with Nancy Pelosi or any opposing view points. We are going broke and healthcare is playing a role! Individual mandate yes, corporate controlled healthcare no.