Rep. Janice McGeachin, R-Idaho Falls, told the House, "The reason why I support HB 117 is because it is a strong policy telling our agencies what they shall or shall not do in regards to the federal health care law." McGeachin said she wouldn't refer to the law by the term so often tossed around in the Idaho House - "Obamacare" - because "I do not wish to give my opponent any undue name recognition." She urged other lawmakers to follow her example.

McGeachin, the House Health & Welfare chairwoman, distributed a written statement from the Heritage Foundation asserting that there is no requirement for states to assist in the implementation of federal law. "We can do a lot of the things that are being proposed in the federal legislation," she said. "We could do a lot of the management in health care that the federal law requires. But if we choose to do that as a state, we're going to do it in the way we see fit for our state, in the state of Idaho." She said, "If we set it up the way the federal government wants us to, they will be the gatekeeper."

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