{"id":13782,"date":"2012-12-11T16:32:20","date_gmt":"2012-12-11T23:32:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/?p=13782"},"modified":"2012-12-11T17:39:06","modified_gmt":"2012-12-12T00:39:06","slug":"gov-otter-says-idaho-should-build-its-own-health-insurance-exchange","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/2012\/12\/11\/gov-otter-says-idaho-should-build-its-own-health-insurance-exchange\/","title":{"rendered":"Gov. Otter Says Idaho Should Build Its Own Health Insurance Exchange"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Scott Olson \/ Getty Images<\/p>

Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter<\/p><\/div>\n

Idaho Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter is opting for a state-based health insurance exchange<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Republican governor’s office distributed that news late this afternoon in a release that criticizes Obamacare, but says the state must assert its “commitment to self-determination” and fulfill its “responsibility to the rule of law.”<\/p>\n

The decision is subject to the Idaho Legislature’s approval.<\/p>\n

The full text of the governor’s press release is below.\u00a0 For analysis and context, see this piece<\/a> from StateImpact Idaho<\/em>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

C.L. \u201cButch\u201d Otter<\/p>\n

GOVERNOR<\/p>\n

GOVERNOR OPTS FOR STATE-BASED EXCHANGE<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

LEGISLATURE STILL MUST WEIGH IN ON HEALTH INSURANCE ISSUE<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(BOISE) \u2013 Governor C.L. \u201cButch\u201d Otter announced today that Idaho is opting for a state-based health insurance exchange under the terms of Obamacare, subject to legislative approval.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not a battle of my choosing, but no one has fought harder against the mandates and overreaching federal authority of the Affordable Care Act. No one has more consistently and clearly demanded that Idaho retain the authority and flexibility to chart our own path forward. There was a judicial process for challenging Obamacare, and the presidential election was at least in part a referendum on its enactment. But despite our best efforts, the law remains in place, and almost certainly will for the foreseeable future. There will<\/span><\/strong> be a health insurance exchange in Idaho. The only question is who will build it.<\/p>\n

Our options have come down to this: Do nothing and be at the federal government\u2019s mercy in how that exchange is designed and run, or take a seat at the table and play the cards we\u2019ve been dealt. I cannot willingly surrender a role for Idaho in determining the impact on our own citizens and businesses.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis decision does not signal support for the law or how it is being implemented. However, it does reflect my continued determination for Idaho to be actively engaged in making the best possible choices \u2013 to the degree we are allowed \u2013 in the interest of more accessible and affordable health care for our citizens.<\/p>\n

\u201cObamacare is not the answer. In fact, it very likely will do little or nothing to reduce costs while force-feeding us coverage and increasing the size and scope of government. But it is an unfortunate and unwelcome reality, and it would be irresponsible of me to simply abandon the field to federal bureaucrats. In the face of uncertainty we must assert our independence and our commitment to self-determination while fulfilling our responsibility to the rule of law.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe working group I assembled to study our options recommended this response. I greatly appreciate and respect the members of that panel their analysis, both the majority and those in dissent. I also consulted with national experts, many of my fellow governors and our own legislative leaders. I understand and empathize with those who would reject a role in this process, as some other states have done. I know that for many this is not a matter of consensus but rather of individual conscience, and I know the earnest and well-intentioned debate will continue.<\/p>\n

\u201cI take some comfort in the fact that even those disagreeing with this decision strongly believe as I do in Idaho\u2019s ability to be more responsive and do a better job than the federal government alone of ensuring our citizens can make informed choices about their health care.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the criticisms of the exchange mandate that I and many others have expressed remain valid and troubling. The law is governed by an evolving set of increasingly complex rules and requirements. It is onerous, unwieldy and fraught with unknowns. That makes it all the more important to remember that my decision today can be rescinded if the Legislature disagrees or withdrawn by me if circumstances warrant \u2013 a real possibility on such a constantly moving target. But with what we know today, this is our best option.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Idaho Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter is opting for a state-based health insurance exchange. The Republican governor’s office distributed that news late this afternoon in a release that criticizes Obamacare, but says the state must assert its “commitment to self-determination” and fulfill its “responsibility to the rule of law.” The decision is subject to the Idaho […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":46,"featured_media":8897,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[15],"tags":[210,27,119],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13782"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/46"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13782"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13782\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13794,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13782\/revisions\/13794"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8897"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13782"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13782"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}