OPINION: LUKE MAYVILLE — The many forgotten Idahoans

Four thousand, two hundred, to be exact. That’s how many Idahoans are being shut out from Idaho’s health care exchange, according to a new study.

Idaho is one of 13 states with a state-run health care exchange. In 12 other states, governors have responded to COVID-19 by re-opening their health care exchanges for enrollment. Idaho stands alone in its failure to open its exchange.

Gov. Brad Little has the power to open the exchange right away if he wishes.

Why the inaction? The governor has pointed out that laid-off Idahoans who’ve lost their employer-based health insurance can qualify for special enrollment. This is true. The Your Health Idaho exchange has even waived documentation requirements in order to expedite the process for those who’ve recently lost insurance.

But the larger truth is that those who currently qualify for relief are only a fraction of those who need it. After all, thousands of uninsured Idahoans — including many of our “essential workers” on the front lines — never had employer-based coverage in the first place.

In any case, regardless of a person’s unique employment situation, no one should have to go through a pandemic without health care. That’s why 12 other states have taken action to re-open enrollment for all who need it.

Idaho’s failure to follow suite is leaving thousands without access to health insurance. An analysis published last week by ACASignUps.net concluded that at least 4,200 uninsured Idahoans would take advantage of a 60-day open enrollment period if given the chance. Over and above the many workers who already qualify for special enrollment, an additional 4,200 Idahoans would enroll if Governor Little were to open our health care exchange.

This is not just speculation. In the 12 other states with COVID-19 open enrollment, tens of thousands of people are signing up for insurance. Most recently, this includes nearly 10,000 people in Minnesota and another 10,000 in Colorado. As of last week, California had enrolled more than 60,000 people.

Over 4,000 here in Idaho stand to benefit as well. But during the first 40 days of our statewide emergency, these working Idahoans have been forgotten.

They make too much money to qualify for Idaho’s new Medicaid Expansion program but they don’t qualify for special enrollment under the normal rules of Idaho’s health care exchange.

An open enrollment period is their only option.

Every day, we hear praise for our “essential workers,” those who continue to be called into work even in the midst of a once-in-a-century pandemic. Our politicians praise these workers. They thank these men and women profusely.

But if we really value our essential workers, how can we deny so many of them access to health insurance? How can we expect them to go out each day and risk their health and safety, all the while knowing that they don’t have access to health care?

The idea of re-opening Idaho’s health care exchange is not controversial. Earlier this month, when we at Reclaim Idaho shared an online petition on our website calling on Governor Little to open the exchange (reclaimidaho.org/opentheexchange), the petition brought in its first 1,000 signatures within two days. Signatures came from 40 Idaho counties and more than 100 towns.

As we learned in 2018, when Idahoans voted in a landslide to enact Medicaid Expansion, the people of Idaho believe in health care. They want their neighbors and co-workers to enjoy the security and peace of mind that comes with stable health insurance.

In these times of pandemic and economic insecurity, Governor Little faces a long list of difficult decisions. Opening Idaho’s health care exchange is not one of them.

It’s a no-brainer: No one should live through a pandemic without health insurance. It’s time for Governor Little to open Idaho’s health care exchange.

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Luke Mayville is the co-founder of Reclaim Idaho, the organization that launched the 2018 campaign to expand Medicaid in Idaho.