On Tuesday, The White House released a report showing that health insurance premiums in every state - including Idaho - are growing far in excess of wage growth. The report shows that premiums for employer-sponsored insurance in Idaho have risen by 96 percent since 1999 while wage growth in that period has grown by only 43 percent.
In response to the report, Idaho Democratic Party Chair R. Keith Roark made the following statement:
"This report is just further proof that Idahoans need health insurance reform, and we need it now. Family budgets are increasingly being consumed by the high costs of health care, and as a result Idahoans are being forced to cut back on groceries, mortgage payments, child care and college savings. The status quo is a recipe for disaster. But instead of working with Democrats to bring about reform, Republicans are trying to delay change and vowing to 'break' the President.
"Our current system works better for the insurance companies than it does for working families. We need a health insurance reform plan will increase stability and security for Americans who have insurance by holding insurance companies accountable and make quality affordable coverage available to those without insurance. It is imperative that we lower the cost of health care for Idaho’s families, businesses and government. The time to curb the sky-rocketing cost of health insurance premiums and offer security and stability to Idahoans is now."