Here’s what the House and Senate Health & Welfare chairs had to say about Gov. Butch Otter’s gap-population health-care proposal today:

Rep. Fred Wood, R-Burley: I want to thank the governor of the state of Idaho and Director Armstrong for bringing this initiative. We do have an issue with the gap population. ... There will be critics to this program. But I can tell you that this program, as designed by Director Armstrong and the governor, is the first step to any process that would be used, even if we fully expanded Medicaid tomorrow. This is the first step that is required in any program that we bring to the gap population … or any population for that matter, to develop and build a sustainable health care program. … I stand ready to help however I can.”

Sen. Lee Heider, R-Twin Falls: “He’s a great leader and if we follow his leadership we’ll be successful.” He noted that Idaho has long been working on its SHIP program to remake health care. “The patient centered medical home model is a wonderful model for all of people of Idaho,” he said. “All these people in this gap population will become part of a medical home. ... It’s a proven model. .. I stand ready to support the governor and the director in their efforts.”