Health Insurance Exchange Politics Play Out on Mini-Cassia Billboards [The Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho]
By Laurie Welch, The Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
"They," whose names are listed on the billboards are
Two of the three billboards are at
More billboards are planned. The signs were put up by the
"I'm disappointed from a couple of standpoints," said Cameron, a
Hoffman said in a telephone interview with the
"We put those up because the legislators made a huge error," Hoffman said. "And they have a chance to correct that error next year."
All the names of legislators who voted for the state insurance exchange will not make their way onto a billboard because there is "not enough room" on a billboard, Hoffman wrote in an email to the
The Mini-Cassia sites were picked because of cost and availability, he wrote.
Due to the foundation's tax-exempt status, it is barred from engaging in campaigning.
Cameron said the foundation is "targeting" him and Wood because they proposed the state insurance exchange bill two years ago.
Wood was unavailable for comment on Friday, but he told
"I think that's what it's designed to do, to be very blunt about it," Wood said. "It's political advertising."
The billboards are targeting Speaker Bedke because they want to unseat him, Cameron told the
Bedke was out of the area Friday and did not return phone calls.
"What are they saying? That we're not allowed to talk about their voting record?" Hoffman said.
Hoffman said the intention of the foundation is "to move public policy," not to engage in political campaigning.
The billboards were put up in October when none of the parties listed were running for any office, he said.
The foundation's intentions are threefold, Hoffman said, to tell people that the legislator's didn't have to pass "ObamaCare," identify the legislators who voted for the state health insurance exchange and inform people that there will be a chance to repeal it next year.
Hoffman said the legislators who voted for the insurance exchange were "assisting in the implementation of the President's ObamaCare."
Cameron said the state was faced with a choice of either trying to keep some local control by setting up the state insurance exchange or having a federal government exchange, with loss of control.
"There were still plenty of avenues, including legal avenues they could have pursued," Hoffman said.
Hoffman cited the lawsuit filed by
Cameron said the state's Attorney General is still looking into the state's legal options.
"Even if we would have sued, we'd still have an insurance exchange in
Differences between the federal and state exchange sites are the state site is cheaper and paid navigators like Planned Parenthood and executives from the
Cameron said the state site still has assisting organizations to help customers, but they are ones
Cameron said Hoffman's group and others will likely introduce bills to repeal the state exchange during the next legislative session.
"I would be shocked if that bill gains any traction," Cameron said.
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