GOP health law could impact Idaho exchange enrollment

Idaho officials say a plan from congressional Republicans to replace President Barack Obama’s health care law could result in a mass exodus from the state’s online health insurance exchange. Your Health Idaho Director Pat Kelly said Friday that he estimates almost 60,000 Idahoans could leave the exchange under the new proposal due to the loss of tax credit subsidies and the repeal of requiring individuals to have health insurance. Currently, nearly 106,000 Idahoans are enrolled on the exchange. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that nationally, the legislation would cause 14 million people to lose their insurance in the first year. The nonpartisan office estimates the number of people losing insurance by 2026 would grow to 24 million, with a large part of that driven by reductions to Medicaid.