Gov. Otter endorses Medicaid expansion, calling it an 'Idaho-grown solution'

[Julian Englis]

Source: The Idaho Statesman

Idaho Gov. Butch Otter on Tuesday endorsed Proposition 2, the effort to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.

The initiative on the Nov. 6 ballot will decide whether to allow more Idahoans on Medicaid, including those in the so-called “Medicaid gap” who also don’t qualify for subsidies on the state health insurance exchange.

“Allowing the healthcare coverage gap to persist any longer is not an option,” said Otter in a news release from Idahoans for Healthcare. “We cannot continue to let hardworking Idahoans go without healthcare. I’m proud that the citizens of Idaho have come up with a solution to solve this long-standing problem. Proposition 2 will provide healthcare to 62,000 Idahoans and it’ll bring $400 million of our tax dollars back to Idaho. In addition, Proposition 2 will keep our rural hospitals and county clinics open. I strongly support expanding healthcare to folks who need it. It’s good sense and it’s the right thing to do.”

Idahoans for Healthcare has steadily announced endorsements for the vote, including food manufacturers Chobani and Clif Bar last week.


Read more: https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article220832075.html

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Actually, now it's public option, not a private Idaho.

[BumRushDaShow]

1. "it'll bring $400 million of our tax dollars back to Idaho"

Obama and Democrats TOLD THEM THAT 8 years ago!! Literally, the federal government would pick up 100% of the cost (I believe for 10 years) and then after that, the government would pick up something like 90% and the state would kick in the other 10%.

But NOoooooooooo. Because. "Kenyan 'Muslin' (sic) commie socialist fascist George Soros Nancy Pelosi terrorist".

[iluvtennis]

3. Exactly.

[turbinetree]

2. Butch Otter................has now had a Epiphany

but back in the day he did this...........................and his right wing controlled legislature followed suit..................to place this cost burden on its citizens......................he is still a hypocrite, his past actions speak volumes........................

http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/04/21/idaho.health.care.reform/index.html


https://stateimpact.npr.org/idaho/2013/04/05/idaho-gov-butch-otter-reiterates-wish-to-hold-off-on-expanding-medicaid-eligibility/



epiphany
noun [ C or U ] UK ​ /ɪˈpɪf.ən.i/ US ​ /ɪˈpɪf.ən.i/ literary
​
a moment when you suddenly feel that you understand, or suddenly become conscious of, something that is very important to you

​
a powerful religious experience

[LAGC]

4. Yes, he's a good part of the reason (along with his Attorney General) that Medicaid was never...

...expanded in Idaho in the first place.

But he is a welcome voice now, finally "reading the tea leaves" as it were.

His late endorsement could actually swing many moderate Republicans off the fence and voting for Prop 2.

We need it to pass by a wide margin. The wider the better, otherwise the Republican Lieutenant Governor candidate has already signaled she intends to sabotage the will of the people and try to monkey-wrench implementation if it only passes by a narrow margin.