More testimony to lawmakers from this afternoon:

Dr. Jeremy Monroe of Pocatello told of seeing a patient who was making her third emergency-room visit in a week. She had gall bladder disease and needed surgery. She had been referred to a surgeon on both previous visits, but she had no way to pay for it. “I remember thinking at the time, ‘I hope that she’s sick enough for the surgeon to take it out today.’ And I caught myself feeling very bad that I was hoping she would be more sick. … Her gall bladder was worse, but still not an emergency.”

He said, “It’s very frustrating as a doctor to see patients, to try and figure out what’s wrong with them, arrange for follow-up, but know that they will not be able to be seen for follow-up.” That patient’s emergency room visits cost thousands of dollars, he said, and she still wasn’t helped. He urged lawmakers to close the coverage gap.

Samantha Joseph, a social worker who provides case management at a community health center, said many of her patients are working and fall into the coverage gap. Many have serious and persistent mental illness and have no coverage, she said.  “These are not people who want to live a life of leisure, taking money and not contributing to society. These are people who have worked hard all their lives and now they’re sick.”

She said, “I want to live in an Idaho that makes vulnerable people believe they will be able to get something more than minimum wage pay with no benefits. … We are already paying for this health care in a myriad of other ways. People without insurance don’t get primary or preventive care. They ignore it and go to the emergency room when they can’t take it any more. ... We are paying federal taxes but not reaping the benefits of matching federal funds.”