New health care bill allows non-ACA plans, targets Medicaid
An eastern Idaho lawmaker has introduced legislation allowing health insurance carriers to offer non-Obamacare approved plans, while also imposing new requirements for Medicaid recipients.
The House Health and Welfare Committee on Monday agreed to give Republican Rep. Bryan Zollinger’s bill a hearing – which has not yet been scheduled.
The bill directs the Idaho Department of Insurance to encourage and permit insurance carriers to offer plans that don’t meet the requirements under the Affordable Care Act.
It also says adult Medicaid recipients should hold jobs and limits lifetime participation in the federal program to just five years for certain recipients. For example, children, pregnant women and people with disabilities would still be exempt from coverage limits.
Supporters of Zollinger’s bill describe it as an alternative to a separate bill already introduced in the Statehouse designed to reduce Idaho’s health coverage gap.
