Lawmakers Updated on Insurance Exchange

BOISE (KLIX) – Keeping the federal government out of Idaho’s health insurance decisions is a good thing, Pat Kelly, executive director of Your Idaho Health, told lawmakers on Tuesday.

This is the second year of the state-based insurance exchange, and already more than 97,000 Idahoans have selected a health insurance through the plan. In 2015, Idaho ranked fourth in the nation per-capita for enrollments and had the highest enrollment numbers of any state-based health insurance exchange.

It’s “the lowest-cost exchange in the country,” Kelly said in a statement, noting that other states are taking notice.

As a state-based health insurance exchange, it sets the assessment fee for health insurance plans sold through the exchange. The federal government’s fee is set at 3.5 percent, compared with Idaho’s 1.99 percent.

“By having a state-based exchange, Idahoans have saved $10 million in assessment fees so far,” he said.

During Kelly’s presentation before the Senate Commerce committee, he told lawmakers the exchange spent much of 2015 focusing on making technology improvements to enhance the customer experience, providing more choice in health insurance plans, and increasing training for Idaho’s agents and brokers.

The deadline to purchase coverage through Your Health Idaho is midnight Sunday, Jan. 31. Information: 855-944-3246.