Senator gives up state health insurance

Sen. Dan Schmidt, D-Moscow, announced today that he’s giving up his state-paid health insurance. “I have state taxpayer-funded health insurance, because I am a state legislator,” he said. “I get that benefit, and this Legislature can’t give that benefit to 78,000 Idahoans who can’t afford it.” Schmidt, a physician who has ardently advocated for expanding Idaho’s Medicaid program to cover that “gap” group, said he decided to give up his insurance coverage “pretty much based on a sense of fairness.” “This is a nudge,” Schmidt said at a Capitol news conference. “I’m trying to nudge folks to feel a sense of urgency, to feel a sense of doing the right thing”/ Betsy Russell , Eye on Boise. More here.

Question: Maybe We regular Idahoans should insist that all our pampered legislators give up their own state-funded health care until they help those in greatest need of such care. The problems would be fixed in warp speed. Thoughts?