Lawmakers to Meet on Health Care
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho lawmakers will meet to discuss last week's Supreme Court ruling upholding President Barack Obama's 2010 health care overhaul. The July 30 meeting of a Senate-House health care task force was added to the Legislature's calendar this week after the 5-4 decision that Obama's reforms were legal. Until now, Idaho's Republican-dominated Legislature has spurned the law, including refusing federal cash to help set up an insurance exchange. Post ruling, there are a couple camps forming on how to respond. U.S. Rep. Raul Labrador urges Idaho to reject an exchange. Others, including health insurer Blue Cross, want Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter to spearhead efforts for an exchange. Otter hasn't committed, yet. In addition, lawmakers will discuss whether Idaho should expand Medicaid eligibility rules, a provision that the justices ruled was optional.