Gov. Otter and Lt. Gov. Little discuss healthcare in Idaho Falls

Governor Butch Otter and Lt. Governor Brad Little were in Idaho Falls discussing healthcare today. Last week they signed an Executive Order changing the choices of insurance companies you can buy from. It could help ‘Close the Gap’ in Idaho. For those that make too much or too little to get aid for insurance. The two toured Mountain View Hospital and had a question and answer session afterward.

“We think around March or early spring we hope that Dean Cameron who is the director of the department of insurance will now come up with structure and also rules and regulations on permitting the insurance companies, the 5 we have operating in the state of Idaho to move forward with policies that meet the needs of the individual, not the wants of government,” says Gov. Butch Otter.

They say Idaho will be ahead of the curve with this Executive Order. Even though prices will be lowered, they say the quality won’t.

“It will be very similar to plans that are out there but it will be somewhat tailored. They will be tailored, but in essence, the essential benefits that are listed out there today. There won’t be as many mandates. Some of those won’t be there. It won’t be every single one of them but the essential services that everybody agreed to will be in those plans,” says Lt. Gov. Little.

They will be discussing the details of their plan on Newsline tonight which airs at 10:35 p.m. on Local News 8.