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When my husband and I moved to the Sandpoint area in 2002, the future looked bright. At last, we had our home in the country. But five days after he retired he was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. An aggressive treatment plan was scheduled. As we reeled from this news, he said it was going to be very expensive and he was so sorry. Fortunately I could assure him that the health insurance I’d continued after my retirement covered him as well, and that we’d be OK. His worry about the cost made me realize that a desperately ill person should not have the added anxiety of how to pay for medical help. And that is why I’m helping gather signatures on petitions to get Expanded Medicaid on the statewide ballot in 2018.

In Idaho, 78,000 people fall into the coverage gap (they earn too much for Medicaid but too little to get help buying insurance on the state health exchange) They are friends and neighbors, working in day cares, restaurants, construction, and the public sector, going day to day without affordable access to health care. Surely we can do better. Thirty-two states already have Expanded Medicaid in place. Two others have grassroots efforts similar to Idaho’s. Please give voters statewide a chance to vote on this. Petitions are available at Family Health Center (Pinegrove building, 606 N. 3rd, No. 101, Women’s Health Care (1215 Michigan), and Panhandle Art Glass (514 Pine St.). Thanks.

RAE CHARLTON

Sandpoint