Idaho is vehemently opposing the Affordability Act. At the same time, it is one of the 16 states which have already been approved for subsidies from the federal government. 2000 companies from the state have already been approved for financial help from the center while a lot more applications are still pending.
Apart from helping the early retirees in Idaho with a temporary funding of $5 billion, the state has also received funding for other health plans and programs too. 28,200 small business firms in the state will receive tax credits which will encourage them to provide health insurance coverage at work. At present small firms pay about 18% more to cover their employees and the tax credits will help in bringing down costs of health plans.
A one-time rebate of $250 will be provided to those senior citizens who own Medicaid and have hit the donut hole.
Insurance companies in Idaho will be banned from the following:
- Placing annual/lifetime limits on health plan coverage
- Dropping the 103,000 residents who brought their plan from fraud insurance markets, from coverage when they fall sick
- Discriminating children and denying them coverage on the basis of their pre-existing condition
- Needing prior authorization cases of emergency or when a woman in Idaho wants to consult an ob-gyn
The health reforms will also ensure that:
1. The annual limit is tightly regulated so that 754,000 health plan owners always have access to needed care
2. Children stay in their parents’ health plan if they wish to, till the age of 26. This provides medical cushion to these young adults when they are looking for ajob or want to study further
3. Residents get to retain policy if they like the existing plan.
4. New applicants have the option to choose from any participating primary care provider
5. Essential and preventive healthcare facilities like flu vaccines are available free of costs
6. Adults with pre-existing condition have access to affordable health plans through a high-risk pool program that is backed by a federal funding of $23.7 million.
7. An appeal process is developed to make it easy for applicants to settle disputes about claim denials
Not just individuals and individual health plans, the Act will also bring in more federal dollars for the government supported programs:
- Idaho will have option of federal funding for Medicaid coverage that will be extended to all residents of the low-income population irrespective of age, disability, health or family status
- National Health Service Corps will receive an increased funding of $1.5 billion over a period of five years to cater to the 17% of the population that lives in the underserved area of Idaho
- Federal dollars are also in store for the 70 Community Health Centers so that the patients intake is doubled. The funds will support the construction of new health centers
