Idaho passes Health Freedom Act
Nearly on the eve of the possible final passage of a federal Healthcare Reform Act, Idaho has passed a law aimed at rejecting the part of the act that, if included in the final version, would fine U.S. residents who fail to acquire health insurance. Other states, such as Virginia, are considering similar laws.
At the signing of the new law, Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter called the Idaho Health Freedom Act a reflection of public dismay with Washington and an expression of state sovereignty. "Congress and the White House are working out their scheme for pushing through a healthcare ‘reform' bill that has more pages than the U.S. Constitution has words," the governor said. "What the Idaho Health Freedom Act says is that the citizens of our state won't be subject to another federal mandate or turn over another part of their life to government control."
The Idaho Health Freedom Act also aims to create and nurture public-private partnerships to develop primary care medical homes throughout Idaho, expand medical residency programs, expand the safe and secure electronic exchange of health information, and improve the voluntary enrollment of Medicaid-eligible children. Virginia's legislature still is considering a similar bill.
Read Otter's full statement.