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Idaho Health Insurance

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Idaho guide to Health InsuranceHow healthy is living
in Idaho?

Idaho is ranked 17th in the United Health Foundation's 2012 comparison of health status across the 50 states.

The good news:

  • Idaho has the sixth-lowest percentage of adult smokers.
  • Many adults are physically active; the state ranks seventh for sedentary lifestyles.
  • Infant mortality rates have dropped over the past 10 years.

The bad news:

  • Idaho's 2012 overall ranking is the lowest it's been in the past five years.
  • The percentage of children in poverty is 22.3 percent, up from 13.2 percent five years ago.

Idaho's best and worst category rankings:

  • Preventable Hospitalizations – 4th
  • Public Health Funding – 5th
  • Smoking – 6th
  • Lack of Health Insurance – 37th
  • Immunization Coverage – 43th
  • Primary Care Physicians – 50th

more details

  • health insurance plans comparedSee the United Health Foundation's latest findings on Idaho.
  • Trust for America's Health ia another source for key Idaho health quality findings. In addition, 2010's federal health reform, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), included the creation of a prevention fund to provide more than $16 billion over the next 10 years to invest in effective, proven prevention efforts, like childhood obesity prevention and tobacco cessation, and the site has a report on how it impacts Idaho here.

get local health results

State snapshot too large? Get county-by-county health rankings for Idaho, from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Population Health Institute at the University of Wisconsin.


Does Idaho have a health insurance high risk pool?

Thumbs up on offering a risk pool.; Idaho Individual High Risk Reinsurance Pool
(link is to a PDF on program)
Toll-free 1-800-721-3272 (In-state only)

health-insurance risk poolsIMPORTANT UPDATE: Starting in 2010, Idaho started offering health care insurance coverage to residents through the federally established temporary high-risk pool program. To find out more about Idaho's participation, click here.

Risk pools are state-sponsored programs to help people with a history of medical problems in their family to purchase coverage. These pools are for people who can afford to buy health insurance, but are not able to get underwritten in the private market because of a pre-existing health condition. These programs can vary significantly from state to state in price, benefits and number of people served. Often insurance companies doing business in the state are required to contribute to the pool to keep it in the black. In the best cases, they allow people to be able to switch jobs or become self-employed without the fear of losing their health insurance coverage. Read more about risk pools here.


Non-profit sources of health insurance information for Idaho

  • fhce logoThe Foundation for Health Coverage Education's mission is to provide simplified public and private health insurance eligibility information in order to help more people access coverage. Here is its guide on how to find health insurance in Idaho.
  • The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is tracking the progress of health insurance reform in each state. Its page for Idaho can be found here.
  • The National Committee for Quality Assurance is a private, non-profit organization that, among other things, provides health care plan report cards for consumers. Search for Idaho health insurance plan report cards.

Idaho state government health insurance resources

Idaho State Seal.;

Federal reform and health insurance in Idaho —  How the State of Idaho will implement the provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

Idaho Child —  Helps qualifying low-income families get health insurance for their children ages 18 and under.

State of Idaho Medical Services —  Various state medical programs including medicaid, immunizations, mental health and more.

Idaho Department of Insurance Consumer Publications —  Includes a “Shopping Guide to Health Insurance” published by the State of Idaho and other publications.

Senior Health Insurance Benefit Advisors Program —  Senior Health Insurance Benefit Advisors Program – services for Idaho citizens on Medicare.



Idaho reform, single-payer health care information

Idaho Health Care for All —  An association of concerned citizens committed to seeing that all residents of the state have access to high quality medical care through universal health insurance coverage. It is the Idaho chapter of the national organization Physicians for a National Health Program PNHP.

State-specfic information on the Physicans National Health Program in Idaho.

The Affordable Care Act: Immediate Benefits for Idaho -- How the Affordable Health Care act will improve the lives of people living in Idaho.

Why health care reform is important to Idaho -- This 2009 document by the AARP provides a compelling case f for health reform in Idaho.

The Benefits of Health Reform In Idaho -- The Democratic Policy Committee of the United States Senate looks at benefits of health reform for the citizens of Idaho.



Other helpful Idaho health and medical care links

Idaho mental health resource guide, offered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Government.

The National Coalition on Health Care's information for Idaho -- America's oldest, most diverse, and broadest based group working to achieve comprehensive health system reform.



How did Idaho officials vote on health reform?


H.R.2: Repealing the Health Care Bill

#14
Date of Vote: 1/19/2011 Status: House passed 245-189, 1 not voting
House vote
HOUSE|SENATE

1/19/2011--Passed House amended. Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act - Repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, effective as of its enactment. Restores provisions of law amended by such Act. Repeals the health care provisions of the Health Care and Education and Reconciliation Act of 2010, effective as of the Act's enactment. Restores provisions of law amended by the Act's health care provisions. [more]



Health insurance exchange

Idaho state health insurance exchange Idaho's exchange

Find out what your state's health insurance exchange will look like.

Idaho health insurance premium rebates

state-by-state breakdown of health insurance premium rebates $1.1 million to 32,576 families

Insurance companies were forced to return an average of $70 per family in 2012.

State Health Insurance Guides

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ID health insurance news

Idaho House votes yes on state-run health insurance exchange

03/13/2013 2:03 PM
Idaho Statesman — The House voted 41-29 in favor of a state-run exchange. Twenty-eight Republicans joined all 13 Democrats to pass the legislation. The Idaho Senate previously approved a state-run exchange.

Idaho governor lobbies House to authorize state-run insurance exchange

03/03/2013 3:03 PM
Twin Falls Times-News — Gov. Otter reiterated his “intense opposition” to Obamacare while urging the state House to pass legislation that authorizes a state-run health insurance exchange in Idaho. Otter said those who continue to oppose a state-run exchange are engaging in political wishful thinking.

Idahoans continue to balk at health insurance exchange

02/24/2013 7:02 PM
Coeur d’Alene Press — While Gov. Otter and 16 pragmatic freshmen legislators prefer a state-run exchange over a federal one, citizens and many other legislators continue their protest. At a town hall meeting, one opponent spoke of an exchange as “tyranny” by the federal government, and another referenced the Holocaust.

Read more Idaho health insurance news

ID health insurance companies

Health insurance companies in Idaho.
Get health insurance quotes for these companies.

Blue Cross of Idaho
Regence BlueShield of Idaho

Doctor directory for Idaho

Find licensed physicians near you. Each state is home to organizations that can help you find and research physicians, offering online information about a physician's license, schooling, practice information and more.

Idaho Licensee Search
Idaho Board of Medicine

Other Idaho Public Resources
Idaho Medical Association

Health insurance for individuals ID

Resources for those individuals seeking health care insurance in Idaho. If you are looking for Idaho Medicare, visit our site for health insurance over 65.

How your member of Congress voted

how the Idaho congressional delegation voted on insurance reform healthreformvotes.org

Your members of the Idaho Congressional delegation voted on health care reform.