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Idaho Democrats call for immediate action on health coverage gap

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Idaho House and Senate Democrats say the Legislature isn't doing enough to help residents in the health care gap population. 

An estimated 78,000 working Idahoans are believed to be in the gap population that earns too much to qualify for Medicaid, but too little to qualify for insurance subsidies. 

This session, the Legislature passed a bill to restore dental benefits to more than 30,000 Idahoans, but the Democrats say they fear that is all that will be accomplished by way of Medicaid expansion this year. 

"Our plea today really is to say that we still have a week, week and a half left and it's not too late to try to do something for people in the gap," Sen. Maryanne Jordan, D-Boise, said. 

Jordan said she has introduced a bill to cover the gap population, Senate Bill 1224, but it has not been given a hearing inside the Senate Health & Welfare Committee. 

The group behind "Reclaim Idaho" has also started a state-wide petition with the goal to put Medicaid expansion on the November ballot.