Lawmakers on the joint Economic Outlook & Revenue Assessment Committee are meeting all day today in the Lincoln Auditorium, hearing reports on various sectors of Idaho’s economy as they examine revenues available for the state budget in the coming year. John Ness, CEO of Kootenai Health, is speaking now; he noted Idaho’s doctor shortage. Many in North Idaho go to Spokane for lack of physician access, he said. “They are leaving our state because they can’t get access to physician practices. So we have an access problem, which is driven by a physician shortage problem, which then results in people leaving our state, which then results in job loss,” Ness said. “So I’m back to the need to recruit more physicians in Idaho”/Betsy Russell, SR. More here.

Question: Have you had problems gaining access to medical treatment?