Idaho’s state health insurance exchange – unlike Washington’s – reported a flawless launch over the weekend to its second open enrollment period, as the state shifted from relying on a federal technology platform to its own home-built one. “It’s 360 degrees different,” said Pat Kelly, Your Health Idaho executive director. At last year’s launch, he said, “It just plain didn’t work.” This time, he said, “We had a very successful first couple of days, no technology problems to speak of.” The Washington state exchange went down early Saturday due to a glitch over calculating tax credit information; it started back up on Sunday.

Idaho had one of the nation’s strongest enrollment rates through its state exchange last year, with 76,000 Idahoans using it to enroll in health plans and, if they qualified, receive tax credits to offset some of the costs. That made Idaho third in the nation for exchange participation, behind only Vermont and Florida.

Idaho’s exchange, approved by state lawmakers two years ago after a big fight and at the behest of GOP Gov. Butch Otter, allows the state to control the marketplace, the carriers and the plans that are offered, and to use Idaho insurance agents and brokers. Had Idaho not started its own exchange, under the federal Affordable Care Act, its residents would have used a federal insurance exchange, which charges higher fees – 3.5 percent of premiums, vs. Your Health Idaho’s 1.5 percent fee.

But Idaho wasn’t ready last year to have a website up and running for its exchange, so it relied on the federal exchange website, making Idaho’s exchange a federal-state partnership. Now, that’s all happening in-state. You can read my full story here at spokesman.com.