Medicaid expansion in Idaho - good for a healthy economy

Echo opinion- Idaho’s voters have spoken, not just with their voices but with their names. Opinion submitted by Idaho REP. MAT ERPELDING and REP. LUKE MALEK published in MagicValley.com

Close to 75,000 Idaho voters signed petitions putting Medicaid Expansion (Proposition 2) on the November 6th, 2018, ballot. Their reasons can be boiled down to a few common sense and humane points.

People in Idaho are tired of being left out. In fact, they are paying for healthcare for millions of people in the 33 other states that have expanded Medicaid. Idaho’s federal dollars are flowing into places like California and New York while tens of thousands of our friends and neighbors go without.

In the meantime, our state dollars and property taxes are being used to overpay for healthcare at home. Our state and local taxes go into a variety of programs — including the Catastrophic Healthcare Fund — which pays for super-expensive and inefficient emergency room care. As state representatives, we know local communities around Idaho would much rather use those dollars to fix roads or improve our schools.

The biggest reason why people in Idaho have overwhelmingly put Medicaid Expansion on the ballot is based on what they see every day — our families, friends and neighbors. Idahoans value security and fairness. We want our children to grow up in healthy households. We want our parents to be strong enough to play with their kids and take an active role in their education. Healthy families produce stronger communities and a more productive state.

More than 60,000 people in Idaho fall into the coverage “gap.” They make “too much” money to qualify for Medicaid coverage and not enough to qualify for subsidies on the Idaho insurance exchange. 

So, that’s roughly the population of Pocatello or Idaho Falls. Imagine if we had 60,000 healthier, stronger citizens — citizens who can work more hours; play more often with their kids; be more involved in their communities. We support Medicaid expansion because it’s an investment that will pay dividends for years to come. Expanding Medicaid is not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do.

The benefits of the Medicaid expansion extend even further into our rural communities where hospitals fight closure every year. 

Getting access to quality healthcare should not be determined by your zip code.

We could tell you about the millions of dollars Medicaid expansion will save our counties and state every year. We could talk about the hundreds of millions of dollars that will come back to Idaho and the thousands of jobs that money could create. It’s no coincidence Idaho’s business community, healthcare community, the Idaho Sheriff’s Association and leaders from both sides of the aisle are endorsing Proposition 2. They know a healthier Idaho is a stronger Idaho.

What we can’t quantify are the benefits increased healthcare access will bring to Idaho families and communities. It’s hard to put a number on feeling more secure. It’s even harder to place a numerical value on how much better we’ll feel knowing our trusted friends and neighbors will finally have access to quality healthcare. 

On November 6, vote with your hearts and your minds for stronger Idaho families, healthier Idaho communities and a more productive, prosperous state. Idaho can’t afford to miss this opportunity.

Rep. Mat Erpelding is the Democratic Leader in the Idaho House of Representatives. Rep. Luke Malek is a Republican member of the Idaho State House of Representatives who represents District Four.