Idaho Health Exchange Stumbles Over Funding Questions

The money comes from ... where?

IDAHO FALLS – As Gov. Butch Otter's office rolls out legislation for a state-based health exchange, lawmakers are stewing over a critical element missing from the plan: how to pay for it.

State Sen. Cliff Bayer, R-Boise, told Watchdog.org that the bill, slated for a hearing Tuesday afternoon, is too imprecise for lawmakers to pass, adding that "no one has a clear and full understanding" of just how the exchange would work.

Widespread uncertainty over the exchange should frighten the governor's office because more than a few observers, including some state lawmakers, believe passage could come down to a handful of votes.