Your Health Idaho announces insurance options

BOISE — Idahoans will have a wide range of options for their health and dental insurance plans in 2017. The Your Health Idaho Board of Directors approved 225 certified plans at their September meeting.

“We are pleased that Idahoans continue to have so much choice about their health insurance coverage,” said Pat Kelly, executive director of Your Health Idaho. “Residents in each of Idaho’s 44 counties will have at least four health insurance carriers to choose from, if not more.”

During the upcoming open enrollment period, five different insurance carriers are offering medical plans on the exchange. There are also five insurance carriers that will offer dental plans on the exchange. Several states on the federal exchange have identified only one health insurer offering coverage on the marketplace for 2017.

“Idaho has consistently operated the exchange at a local level, from plan choices to governance. We believe local control is one of the reasons that Idaho has been able to ensure consumer choice,” said Kelly.

The Idaho Department of Insurance will finalize insurance rates this week. Customers who purchase plans on the exchange may be eligible for significant tax credits, which offset premium increases and keep the cost of health insurance predictable. Tax credits are proportional to income and do not depend on the health insurance plan an individual chooses.

For example, in 2017 the average monthly premium for the benchmark silver plan for a 35-year old, earning approximately $25,000 per year and receiving a tax credit, may increase by just two dollars a month.

YHI is the only place in the state where individuals can purchase health insurance and receive a tax credit to help offset the costs of their monthly premium. Nearly 90 percent of YHI customers receive tax credits.

“Your Health Idaho customers will also be able to compare the networks offered by each plan to find their preferred provider,” Kelly said.

Starting Oct. 1, Idahoans can preview the 2017 health and dental insurance plans and networks by visiting www.YourHealthIdaho.org.

Open enrollment for 2017 plans begins November 1.

Your Health Idaho was established by state law in 2013 to provide an online marketplace where Idaho families and small businesses can go to compare and purchase health insurance. Your Health Idaho is governed by a 19-member board authorized by the Idaho Legislature to set the rules and regulations for implementing a state-based health insurance exchange.

Information: www.yourhealthidaho.org