Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes the Idaho Health Insurance Exchange, effective immediately.

Highlights:

• Establishes the Idaho Health Insurance Exchange as a voluntary marketplace to facilitate the selection and purchase of health care plans by individuals, employers, and employees (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that the public policy of Idaho is to ensure that Idaho reserves powers not specifically delegated to the federal government by the United States Constitution, including powers related to authority over health care issues (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Idaho Health Insurance Exchange to be financially self-supporting and prohibits the Exchange from requesting financial support from the state (Sec. 1).

• Specifies that the Idaho Health Insurance Exchange is not a state agency and will be overseen by an independent board of directors that meets the following requirements (Sec. 1):
• Includes 14 voting members appointed by the governor;
• Includes the directors of the Department of Insurance and Department of Health and Welfare as nonvoting members, except in the case of deadlock; and
• Requires members to disclose conflicts of interest, and prohibits members from voting in such instances.

• Prohibits the exchange or state of Idaho from the following actions (Sec. 1):
• Requiring an individual, insurer, or company to participate in the exchange; 
• Collecting a penalty for failure to participate in the exchange; and
• Requiring an individual, insurer, or company to purchase a health benefit plan or stand-alone dental plan.

Full Bill Text