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Idaho Department Of Insurance Cannot Predict Ongoing Cost Of Health Exchange
Nov 2011 – The Idaho Reporter (11/18, Hurst) reports that at yesterday's "meeting of the Idaho Health Care Task Force...Idaho Department of Insurance Director Bill Deal told lawmakers that he doesn't know how much it will cost to run a state-based insurance exchange.
Healthcare Reform – Individual Mandate Health Insurance
July 2010 – Effective January 1st, 2014, "applicable individuals" will be required to maintain "minimum essential coverage" for themselves and their dependents. "Applicable individuals" who fail to maintain "minimum essential coverage" will be required to pay a "penalty" on their tax return.
NIHN Prescription Assistance Program
October 2009 – Working to optimize health and promoting solutions designed to achieve high quality, cost-effective health care, North Idaho Health Network is partnering with MEDPro ( a corporate affiliate of Design Benefits) to add a Prescription Assistance Program to the services they offer their 270 member physicians and five member hospitals in the five Northern Counties of Idaho.
Idaho Department Of Insurance Cannot Predict Ongoing Cost Of Health Exchange
Contact: Tina Jeffrey, (208) 765-7755
Web: www.designbenefitsonline.com
Note: None of this should be taken as legal or tax advice.
The Idaho Reporter (11/18, Hurst) reports that at yesterday's "meeting of the Idaho Health Care Task Force...Idaho Department of Insurance Director Bill Deal told lawmakers that he doesn't know how much it will cost to run a state-based insurance exchange. Upon questioning from committee co-chair Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, Deal said that there is no projection of the yearly cost of an exchange program, though his agency is working feverishly to figure that out." The article adds, "The startup cost for the project is expected to be at least $30.9 million, money likely to come from a federal grant under the 2010 federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)."
Group: Health Insurance Industry Has Too Much Influence In Developing Idaho Health Exchange. The Idaho Statesman (11/18) reports, "The Idaho Main Street Alliance, a small-business advocacy group, says the health insurance industry has too strong a hand in the development of a health insurance exchange." For that reason, it "said this week that it wants six rules written into the law to protect against insurance industry conflict of interest," chief among which is that "no governance board seats should be held by employees, affiliates or payees of an insurance company." In addition, the group "cited political campaign spending from 2004 to 2010 of $62,000 by Regence BlueShield of Idaho's parent company and $137,000 by Blue Cross of Idaho."
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