'Nullification' of Health Care Law in Idaho: What's at Stake?

Idaho Bill, Called "Unconstitutional" by AG's Office, Could Cost State $1.5 Billion, Loss of Health Care Jobs & Force 18,000 Seniors to Go W/out Rx

BOISE, Idaho, Feb. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Some at the state house are again playing politics with health care, in a manner even the Idaho State Attorney General's office calls "unconstitutional" and the results could be disastrous.  As if Idaho's budget woes weren't bad enough, legislative efforts to "nullify" the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act could cost the state billions of dollars and the loss of thousands of health care jobs, all the while forcing seniors to go without needed prescription drugs.  

With the health care "nullification" bill moving through a key legislative committee yesterday, AARP says the approach could do little more than wreak havoc on health care in the state.

"AARP understands that not everyone supports the new law, but the bottom line is that it helps hundreds of thousands of Idahoans have access to affordable health care and critical services," said Jim Wordelman, State Director for AARP in Idaho. "We need to be guarded against short-sighted approaches against the law that could be very hurtful to Idaho citizens and extremely costly to the state."

After two opinions by the Idaho State Attorney General's office, pointing out both the unconstitutionality of efforts to nullify the federal health care law and the glaring risk to the state, Idaho lawmakers moved the bill ahead, sending it to the full House for a vote.  

"If nullification efforts were successful and constitutional, Idaho could end up losing much more than it's expected to gain," added Wordelman.  

AARP warns against the efforts, arguing the fallout from the move could be dire for Idaho and its residents.  Today, the Association is releasing the following Nullification-By-The-Numbers to remind legislators and the public just what's at stake:

• 18,000 seniors, who've hit the prescription drug coverage gap in Medicare, known as the "doughnut hole," could lose relief provided under the federal law, forcing many to go without needed Rx.
• 6,520 younger uninsured state residents, whom the law currently helps to have health care coverage by staying on their parent's insurance plans, will likely lose their coverage.
• 212,000 older Idahoans would lose free preventative health screenings through Medicare, meaning many would be subject to higher costs for largely preventable illnesses. Leaving a higher health care bill for the state.
• 857,000 Idahoans could face being kicked off their health care plans once they hit the lifetime limits the law currently eliminates, pushing many into emergency rooms for basic health care.  Resulting in billions of dollars in uncompensated care and shifting higher insurance premiums onto everyone else.
• $1.5 billion loss in federal matching funds for Medicaid, which could result in the loss of thousands of health care jobs in Idaho.
• 215,000 Medicaid enrollees forced from the program, leaving the state to provide the services at a great financial burden.  Hospitals would also no doubt see emergency room admissions soar, and state residents would bear the cost of uncompensated care in the form of increased insurance premiums.

AARP is Idaho's largest membership organization with 180,000 members.

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SOURCE AARP Idaho