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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Idaho insurance exchange must boost revenues to reach self-sufficiency by 2017

Idaho's online insurance exchange needs to collect $9 million in annual revenue by the summer of 2017, up from the current $6 million, or risk dipping into its limited reserves in order to stay in business, the AP reports. State health insurance exchanges stopped getting additional federal funds on Jan. 1, and the 13 states that operate them now must move them toward self sufficiency.

The AP reports that Your Health Idaho is estimated to collect roughly $6 million in fees from plans offered on the exchange starting July 1. The exchange will also use up about $22 million of leftover federal funds during the same budget year to pay off capital expenses. In total, Idaho has used $105 million of federal funding to create and operate its own exchange. Starting in 2016, Idaho will need a jump in enrollees to raise $9 million annually to operate the exchange. If not, officials say they'll have to dip into the $7 million reserve fund.

"From day one, we have been focused on sustainability," said Pat Kelly, executive director of Idaho's exchange. "Your Health Idaho has always seen itself as a business." Idaho's exchange is on track to see 8 percent growth for both 2016 and 2017, Kelly said. You can read AP reporter Kimberlee Kruesi’s full report here.



Betsy Z. Russell

Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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