Dear Editor,
Idaho has not accepted Medicaid expansion and the federal dollars that go along with it. Why? Consider these facts:
•288,426 – The number of people covered by Medicaid and CHIP as of June 20, 2016
•150,000 – The number of additional people who would be covered if we accepted the expansion
•54,000 – The number of people who have NO realistic access to health insurance without Medicaid expansion
In addition, many rural hospitals in Idaho are on the brink of closure. With Medicaid expansion they would not have to shut down.
Idaho leaves $3.3 billion on the table over the next decade by not expanding Medicaid.
Every person we help to health reduces our county and hospital taxes. Most people who are in the Medicaid gap are veterans, workers in construction and other worthy pursuits, or are handicapped.
Again I ask, why has Idaho not accepted Medicaid expansion? It may not be the final answer, but it is certainly crazy to continue on this course as long as our legislators, both state and federal, refuse to hang up their ideologies and look at the facts. Most citizens in Idaho favor it.
Please seek out and sign the voter petition to have Medicaid expansion put on the ballot this fall. For more information go to https://medicaidforidaho.org.
Nancy Gerth
Sagle
While we have you ...
... if you appreciate that access to the news, opinion, humor, entertainment and cultural reporting in the Sandpoint Reader is freely available in our print newspaper as well as here on our website, we have a favor to ask. The Reader is locally owned and free of the large corporate, big-money influence that affects so much of the media today. We're supported entirely by our valued advertisers and readers. We're committed to continued free access to our paper and our website here with NO PAYWALL - period. But of course, it does cost money to produce the Reader. If you're a reader who appreciates the value of an independent, local news source, we hope you'll consider a voluntary contribution. You can help support the Reader for as little as $1.
You can contribute at either Paypal or Patreon.
Contribute at Patreon Contribute at Paypal
Coming up this week! Don’t miss out on holiday fun with Turkey Trots, Family & Friends Day, Tree Lighting Ceremonies, and more! See the full list of events in the 
