As congressional Republicans scramble to find a replacement for expiring federal health insurance subsidies, one Idaho industry in particular is poised to get hit hard if nothing is done.
Idaho’s outfitters and guides help people explore the state’s wild rivers or track down a trophy elk.
But these small businesses rarely offer their employees health insurance, according to Erik Weiseth who heads the Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association.
More front line workers have gotten coverage in recent years through the Affordable Care Act with the help of subsidies, Weiseth said. Now, those credits could be gone for good.
“This industry, that is vital for the rural places of Idaho, this is a significant challenge for our people and the long-term health and viability of our industry,” he said.
Earlier this fall, Weiseth said he surveyed his members about whether they’d be able to keep their health insurance coverage without the subsidies.
The majority said they’d have to disenroll if premiums shot up by more than 20%, which is expected for many customers.
“So, what our expectation is is that an industry that already has twice the state average of [uninsured workers] is probably going to get worse,” Weiseth said.
The association has spoken with Idaho’s congressional delegation urging them to find some kind of solution to the problem before federal subsidies expire come January.
Weiseth said his group took no position on any particular solution. But he noted temporarily extending the subsidies while negotiating long-term policy changes might be the quickest solution at the moment.
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