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| Some of those attending Saturday's Women's March II from Boundary County (not all shown here and not all shown being named) were Elsie Hollenbeck, Debbie Jordan, Diana Tombleson, Jane and Charlie McCrum, Deb Flory, Craig Kelson, Gerry Ann and Steve Howlett, Angela, Kathy Sheffler, Denise Thompson, Linda Sue, Colleen Mooney, and Mitch Rivkin. |
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There was a very near full house attending the event in the school gym, not just on the gym floor, but filling the balcony above.
There were myriad signs touting myriad stances, "Trump is my President" bobbing inches away from "Not my President" signs. Pro Life, pro choice.
And the most ubiquitous by far, a picture of Idaho with a heart over her, and the words, "Love Lives Here."
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| Kate McAlister |
Keynote speaker was Representative Paulette Jordan, Plummer, a Democratic candidate for governor.
The Reclaim Idaho theme of the Women's March stressed health care for all Idahoans, including 78,000 individuals in our state who fall in the health insurance coverage gap.
"Many of these individuals work two or three jobs but still cannot afford health insurance," Medicaid for Idaho organizers wrote. "The initiative will put Medicaid coverage for those citizens in Idaho who fall in that gap on the ballot in November."
If enough signatures are gained, voters will have the opportunity to vote in November on whether to expand Medicaid to Idahoans who earn less than $16,000 a year if they are single and $22,000 a year for a family of two. If approved, proponents say 90% of the cost would be funded by the federal government, ensuring that federal tax dollars currently sent out of state will remain in Idaho to help other Idahoans.
A report by the Idaho Workgroup on Medicaid Redesign commissioned by Governor Otter, they say, predicts that Medicaid Expansion would support over 14,000 jobs and generate $46-million per year in new revenue. Moreover, Medicaid Expansion would save millions for the state general fund by relieving the costs of state-funded indigent care services.
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"Opponents of Medicaid Expansion commonly ask, 'Who will pay for it?'" they write "The truth is that we are already paying for it. Our federal tax dollars are currently funding the Medicaid expansions of other states. In the first year alone, Medicaid Expansion would bring over $720-million of our own tax dollars back into Idaho."
A recent Boise State survey found that 70 percent of Idahoans favor legislative action to close the Medicaid gap. Medicaid expansion has enjoyed substantial support from voters in both parties. Eleven states led by Republicans have expanded Medicaid.
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| Debbie Flory, left, working to get signatures on the Medicaid for Idaho Initiative petition. Despite the sign, she was covering Boundary County's spot on the table! |
"We collected about 20 signatures, Bonner County collected over 500, and I'm not sure about Kootenai County," she said. "A lot of the marchers from Boundary had already signed. That's why we didn't have more. I was happy to see how many people showed up to the event. I worried that not as many people would be there, compared to last year, but was very surprised to see that there were as many or more. People have not lost their energy or commitment."
According to Flory, 411 District 1 voters had signed and had their signatures certified prior to Saturday's march, and another 300 signatures were waiting to be processed at county election offices in the district. The minimum number of District 1 certified signatures in 1,780, so those collected during the march on Saturday helped, but there's still a long way to go.
Boundary County voters who want to sign the petition can sign at CrossTime Saloon/Heart Rock Wines in the Bonnerport Mall off the city parking lot. People who want to carry a petition can email Flory at debflory34@yahoo.com, or go to https://medicaidforidaho.org/ to download a petition.
Completed petitions need to be notarized and delivered to the courthouse when they are completed.
The Medicaid for Idaho campaign is a project of Reclaim Idaho, a non-partisan, volunteer-led organization that advocates for strong public schools, protected public lands and affordable healthcare for Idaho's working families. Learn more at www.reclaimidaho.org.