As the Health Insurance Exchange Working Group ponders Alex LaBeau's motion to support a state-based health insurance exchange, Wayne Hoffman, a group member, spoke out in opposition, comparing the state's relationship with the federal government to "the relationship of an abuser to a spouse. We keep getting beat up by the federal government and we keep running back to the federal government, and we have done it time and time again." He said, "I think the best interest of the state is  to continue to resist this constitutionally dubious federal law. ... The only way you're going to get the federal government, Congress and the executive branch to reconsider the law is just to resist its implementation."

LaBeau said, "We're all paying for everybody's health care as it is, whether it's thru Medicare and Medicaid, your property taxes or your insurance. The other important thing to remember, in a small state like Idaho, this is going to impact small employers." He said small employers - those with 50 or fewer employees - are 96 percent of Idaho's employers, and they employ half of Idaho's workers. "That's a substantial number of Idahoans that are going to be impacted by the decision that is made here today." LaBeau called for a state-based exchange, using a private non-profit model, "because it's the most flexible." He said a state-based exchange is the only way Idaho can protect small employers from big jumps in their costs and maintain Idaho's regulatory role over its insurance industry.

Panel member Kevin Settles said, "We need to get past arguing the legality of the law. The Supreme Court settled the issue." He said, "We can make something good out of this. ... With the state-based non-profit exchange, we can make it reflect Idaho." He noted that Idaho's current insurance premiums are among the lowest in the nation.