Idaho health insurance exchange makes changes ahead of enrollment period

After months of reprogramming, tweaking, testing, and refining,the new Your Health Idaho health insurance exchange site is ready for prime time.

“We’re really excited for November 1st when open enrollment begins,” said Pat Kelly, the executive director for Your Health Idaho. “We have about 86 thousand Idahoans who have already enrolled.”

This is the second year the Your Health Idaho insurance marketplace exchange has been on the market. Some of the new changes people will see this year include the ability to shop for plans anonymously, as well as the availability of adult dental plans. “You can enter some basic information like where you live, date of birth, family composition, and income, and plans will appear with an estimate for a tax credit,” said Kelly.

Those tax credits are an important part in keeping health insurance rates affordable for consumers. In a press release, Your health Idaho said more than 85% of customers received some kind of tax credit. “On average, the 86 thousand people that are enrolled via your health Idaho pay $65 a month for health insurance,” said Kelly. “That’s an amazing affordability stat.”

Other changes include better integration between website pages for a smoother online experience. The website also has a more comprehensive list on insurance brokers and agents trained to help people find the right insurance plan.

“Our job is to explain to people the differences of all the options that are out there,” said Tina Collins, a licensed insurance broker. “We just try to find the best fit for their personal needs.”

With 211 available medical and dental plans out there, Collins says it’s important not to look only at the cheapest plan. “You have to be cognoscente of the differences between plans,” said Collins. “Your doctor may not be on some plans.”

You can find a link to Your Health Idaho HERE