Informal Poll Shows Idahoans Want Medicaid Expansion, State-Run Insurance Exchange

St. Luke's Health System

St. Luke's CEO David Pate started blogging on health and policy issues in the fall of 2011.

The results are in on an informal Medicaid and insurance exchange poll by St. Luke’s CEO.

As StateImpact reported last week, Dr. David Pate wanted to hear his blog readers’ thoughts about whether Idaho should expand Medicaid eligibility and create a state-run health insurance exchange.  Both are fundamental pieces of President Obama’s health care law which was recently upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.

As Pate writes on his blog, about 140 people responded to the unscientific poll:

“In all, 142 people answered the question, “Should Idaho implement a state-operated exchange or allow the federal government to implement the exchange in our state?”  

Of those, 77.5 percent voted for a state-run exchange and 22.5 percent voted for a federally-operated exchange.” –

Here’s the response to expanding Medicaid:

“A total of 143 people answered this question: “Should the state of Idaho expand its Medicaid program, at least for the next three years?”

Of that number, 72 percent answered yes and 28 percent voted no. For this poll question, every category of voter was split, except for the small number of retirees, all of whom voted yes. Also answering in small numbers were students, 75 percent of whom voted yes, and unemployed people, half of whom answered yes.”

St. Luke’s Health System is Idaho’s largest medical provider, with more than 10,000 employees spread across the state.

Pate said last week he’s hopeful his poll could influence state policy.  “I don’t think the people are as polarized as the politicians are,” Pate said.  “It seemed to me the people were willing to be pragmatic about it.”