State announces new health plan option for Idahoans with pre-existing conditions

Idahoans who’ve been unable to obtain health insurance because of a pre-existing health condition have a new plan available to them, according to the Idaho Department of Insurance. They can now purchase coverage “comparable to that of a healthy individual,” said state Insurance Director Bill Deal, through the new Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan administered by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Idaho is one of 21 states opting to have HHS administer the plan; Montana, Washington, Oregon and Utah are among those running their own plans; the new plans are part of the national health care reforms approved by Congress. You can read the full Department of Insurance announcement here .