In Idaho, more than 100,000 people are struggling to afford health insurance, many of whom have fallen into the coverage gap, according to a KTVB report.
Since Idaho did not expand Medicaid, those whose income falls between 100 percent and 138 percent of the poverty line are ineligible for Medicaid and earn too little to receive federal subsidies for marketplace plans.
A recent proposal, however, would provide a state-run expanded Medicaid system, according to the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy. Here are five things to know about the proposal:
1. The state-run expanded Medicaid system is called the Healthy Idaho Plan.
2. The proposal was made by the Governor's Medicaid Redesign Workgroup and suggests Idaho redesign the state's Medicaid system and integrate it with the state's Your Health Idaho insurance exchange, where people buy private policies.
3. The hybrid system would be paid for through a mix of federal and state dollars and administered through private Idaho companies.
4. It's estimated that the plan would save Idaho $173 million over 10 years by eliminating indigent funds in the state's counties and disassembling the state's catastrophic care system, according to a recent ICFP report.
5. The plan would give Idaho lawmakers the opportunity to extend quality, affordable coverage to 78,000 Idahoans.
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