ELECTION: Vote for responsibility

Idaho’s working families want to take responsibility for their health, but they need affordable options. The new health care law provides tax subsidies for middle income residents, but 70,000 lower income working Idahoans have been left out because the Idaho legislature has refused to accept increased Medicaid coverage for our neighbors in need. As we consider candidates running for office this November, we should clearly understand their position for Medicaid redesign.

If Idaho had accepted Medicaid redesign funds in January 2014, approximately 400 Idahoans who died prematurely would still be alive. Idaho taxpayers would have saved $72 million in lower costs. In 2014, $330 million would have come to Idaho in federal Medicaid dollars and an additional $150 million would have come to our hospitals. This totals $4.8 BILLION over 10 years. All of this would project to create 16,000 additional good paying Idaho jobs.

Currently, the federal taxes that we pay flow to the citizens of the 26 states that have accepted these Medicaid funds. Our state and property taxes continue to the county catastrophic fund for the uninsured that require costly hospital care. It is time for legislators to thoughtfully bring these new health care dollars back to Idaho to free up funds for other priorities like education for a strong Idaho economy. And legislators can no longer ignore those who die prematurely because they lack access to health care. Vote for candidates who will be fiscally responsible to Idaho taxpayers and give all Idahoans affordable health coverage.

SCOTT DUNN

Sandpoint