Idaho Chooses Life

TO: MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE H&W COMMITTEE
JFAC

FM: DAVID RIPLEY

RE: SB 1082 – LEGISLATION TO ELIMINATE SERVICES FOR IDAHOANS SUFFERING
WITH CYSTIC FIBROSIS

I write to urge your rejection of SB1082.

This legislation will likely mean death for many Idahoans, and greatly shortened lives for others. While I greatly appreciate the burdens upon you to reduce government expenditures, this seems to be a particularly harsh method for balancing budgets.

While government cannot be everything to everyone – this program has proven to be a compassionate and effective means for offering life-saving help to a group of Idahoans who have precious few options. We kid ourselves by listening to bureaucrats who argue that private insurance will somehow meet the need; it is common knowledge that insurance companies are highly unlikely to accept these families – at least at rates anywhere within range for an average family.

In fact, it is obvious that it was the lack of affordable coverage which provided the impetus for the Legislature to step-up in the first place.

One must also acknowledge that passage of this legislation seems likely to increase the burden on hospitals and county property tax payers, as families are left with no other option but to show up in emergency rooms. Not only does this approach represent a more expensive option to taxpayers – the man or woman struggling with this disease may well have suffered an irreversible degeneration in their condition as a result.

I generally do not involve this organization in issues of this kind, but this matter is obviously one of life-and-death for many Idahoans. We must affirm the value of all life.

Surely we can find a more humane option for balancing the state’s budget.

Thank you for your consideration.

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