MORSE: I'm upholding the law

Sheila Waller, Secretary

Kootenai County Central Committee

RE: Insurance exchange censure vote

Dear Sheila:

Prior to the scheduled censure vote Tuesday, please read this letter into your minutes and provide a copy of this letter to each Central Committee member. The resolution passed Jan. 2 by the Central Committee asked for legislators to defy the Obamacare law upheld by the Supreme Court in NFIB v. Sebelius. I took an oath as a legislator to uphold the law, even ones I disagree with. The resolution passed by the Central Committee preceded the final state bill, so it could not consider the actual House bill provisions. We agree on our opposition to Obamacare, but we disagree on how best to achieve that. I request the Central Committee oppose the censure resolution because:

• An Idaho exchange preserves more local controls and states’ rights than a federal exchange

• An Idaho-managed exchange keeps jobs in Idaho and an open insurance product market

• A state-based exchange can better manage costs, and assure in-state access to navigators

• An Idaho exchange can be collapsed quickly if Obamacare is declared unconstitutional

• The nonprofit exchange spends no Idaho tax funds, and does not use state credit

• The exchange keeps Idaho insurance regulatory controls, and insurance market competition

• The Idaho exchange law allows other insurance product sales; bolstering competition and access

• Defaulting to a federal exchange risks poor service, higher costs, and is worse for constituents

A state-managed exchange prevents the exchange from being a federal portal for everything from voter registration to food stamp entitlements. Your resolution cedes total content control to the federal government.

Sincerely Yours,

STATE REP. ED MORSE

District 2-B