New law clamps down on smoking

BOISE – This year, the most talked about new law is the ban on smoking in nearly all public buildings. Starting today, bars and bowling alleys will be about the only public places left for those with the urge to light up.

The Clean Indoor Air Act prohibits smoking in restaurants, hotel common areas and other public places to help protect against exposure to second-hand smoke.

It passed easily, but only after long and contentious hearings.

There are 309 other bills from the 2004 winter session that will also become law today, and one delayed action from 2003 that could have a significant health impact on thousands of the state’s youngest residents.

That bill was signed by Gov. Dirk Kempthorne on April 22. It provides state financial aid to working poor parents who want to purchase private or employer-provided health insurance for their children.

Some advocates for the working poor claim it does not go far enough to reduce the significant number of uninsured children in Idaho.

Two programs go into effect today – the Children’s Health Insurance Program Access Card, and the so-called CHIP B plan will be available to families earning up to 185 percent of the federal poverty level.

The access card program provides up to $100 a month for parents to purchase private health insurance for up to three children.

It is available as an elective to parents who are already on the standard CHIP plan, which provides Medicaid-level coverage.

The CHIP B plan – known by some as “CHIP Lite” – will have fewer benefits and some cost-sharing compared to the full CHIP plan. It will be available to families earning between 150 percent and 185 percent of the federal poverty level.

The law was spearheaded by state Sen. Dean Cameron, of Rupert, co-chairman of the legislative budget committee who also works as an insurance agent.

Although it was passed in 2003, its implementation was in doubt until less than a month ago because the federal government, which will pay 80 percent of the costs associated with the new plans, initially balked at some of the provisions.

“There’s still a few hiccups, and maybe some will require congressional intervention,” Cameron said.

Federal officials told the state they did not want the new programs to lure parents away from private sector plans they have already bought at their own expense, Cameron said.

As a result, parents who already have private insurance and want to sign up for the CHIP B plan will have to take their children off private insurance for 12 months before they would be eligible to switch over.

Cameron acknowledged that the requirement undermines the concept for people who already have private insurance and would like to save some money with the government subsidy.

However, he said, “the plan was first intended for those families without coverage. For those, we’re still good to go.”

Another hitch is that there will be an extremely narrow window – only one week between July 7 through July 16 – that parents will be able to sign their kids up for the programs.

Cameron said the state will hold a small advertising campaign next week to get the word out.

If there is any money left over after the initial enrollment period, another may be held later in the fall.

The CHIP program will be paid for with proceeds from the insurance premium tax paid by all insurance customers in Idaho.

The state expects up to $2.5 million in funding for the program this year – enough to cover between 5,600 and 8,000 new enrollee, Cameron said.

But that is still far fewer than the estimated 50,000 to 65,000 children who are without any health insurance.

“Every child in Idaho deserves quality health care coverage, not some pared-down version,” said Sam Blair, lead organizer with Idaho Community Action Network, an advocacy organization for the poor and minorities.

Cameron acknowledged that the CHIP Access Card and CHIP B plans will not solve health care problems for even half of the children in Idaho who don’t have insurance.

“I recognize that from ICAN’s perspective, this doesn’t move as fast as they would like. But we are making progress, helping more children become insured,” he said.