The Otter Administration is proposing a state-funded partial alternative to Medicaid expansion that could deliver basic primary care for 78,000 Idahoans who now have little or no access to health care coverage, Idaho Statesman reporter Bill Dentzer reported over the weekend, at a cost to the state of $30 million a year, part of which could be funded by a cigarette tax increase. That’s compared to potential savings of $173 million over 10 years if Idaho expanded its Medicaid program and accepted federal funds to cover the vast majority of the costs, but Idaho lawmakers leery of Obamacare have been unwilling to go that route thus far/Betsy Russell, Eye on Boise. More here.