Boise, Idaho, August 18 — Governor brad littleR-Idahoissued the following press release on August 17, 2022:
Governor brad little today announced the Idaho State reached a key milestone in the “Leading Idaho” plan – the approval of the state’s innovation waiver, ensuring health insurance is accessible to more Idahoans.
“The people of Idaho today enjoyed another victory for our ‘Leading Idaho’ plan. Approval of the state’s innovation waiver is expected to reduce personal insurance premiums by about 12%, keeping more Idahoans insured and giving them better access to affordable health care” Governor Small said.
The US Department of Health and Human Services and the US Department of Treasury approved this week from idaho Section 1332 application State Innovation to renouncer. The state submitted the Section 1332 waiver to increase the affordability of individual health insurance in Idaho. This waiver approval is effective January 1, 2023through December 31, 2027and it is expected to reduce individual market health insurance premiums by 12% in the first year compared to premiums without the waiver.
The derogation will be implemented mainly by the Idaho Individual High Risk Reinsurance Poola state reinsurance program that helps reduce some of the costs of insuring certain serious medical conditions, thereby reducing the premiums charged to Idahoans. Governor Small recommended and the Legislative Assembly this year approved a $25 million Transfer from the General Fund to Idaho High Risk Individual Pool Fund to reduce health insurance premiums statewide. The pool was established in 2000. Since its inception, it has successfully paid more than $164.6 million in the claims of more than 13,000 Idahoans suffering from serious health problems.
“Governor and Legislature support was critical to receiving federal approval for from idaho Reinsurance pool exemption from innovation”, Idaho Department of Insurance (DOI) Director dean cameron said. “Thanks to their support and the efforts of our staff to develop a strong waiver claim, Idahoans who purchase their own health insurance will have lower premiums in the future.”
As part of the waiver process, legislation signed by Governor Small this year, House Bill 611 authorized the DOI to submit the waiver request to federal agencies and condition the continuation of the state reinsurance program upon approval of the 1332 waiver.
The DOI also received public comments during the application process.
The Idaho State 1332 Waiver Approval and Fact Sheet are posted online at https://www.cms.gov/CCIIO/Programs-and-Initiatives/State-Innovation-Waivers/Section_1332_State_Innovation_Waivers-.
* * *
Original text here: https://gov.idaho.gov/pressrelease/idahoans-to-see-12-percent-lower-health-insurance-costs-with-approval-of-key-leading-idaho-waiver/
