As Health Insurance Costs Soar, Idaho Healthcare Workers Also Feel the Pinch
Premium hikes and expired pandemic subsidies are forcing some Boise clinicians to pay out of pocket or go uninsured, with one family spending nearly $1,600 a month.
- Nurse practitioner Samantha LeGault's employer-offered health insurance premium rose from $700 to $1,500 a month this year, forcing her to allocate roughly one-fifth of her income to cover herself, her husband, and four children.
- For the first time in their lives, Boise family medicine practice owners Joshua Durham, a primary care physician, and Ashley Durham, a pharmacist, dropped health insurance entirely after their monthly premiums for a similar plan jumped to nearly $1,600.
- The Durhams drew on $50,000 accumulated in health savings over years, spending around $9,000 out-of-pocket this year on physical therapy and mental health care. LeGault delayed treating a sinus infection until it evolved into an ear infection due to her $10,000 deductible.
- Jack Dillon, executive director of the Association for Independent Medicine representing 4,000 physician-led practices, said premium increases have become untenable, asking 'What's the value?' and warning employers may seek alternatives like higher hourly wages or minimal plans.
- Nationally, 7% of healthcare workers were uninsured in 2024 compared with 11% of adults under 65, with employers projecting costs will jump 8.2% for 2027. Roughly 15 million Americans are expected to lose coverage over 10 years due to expiring enhanced ACA subsidies and $1.1 trillion in cuts.
12 Articles
12 Articles
As Health Insurance Costs Soar, Healthcare Workers Also Feel the Pinch - Asian Journal News
Ashley and Joshua Durham used the Affordable Care Act marketplace for their health insurance after they began their family medicine practice in Boise, Idaho, in late 2023. But the couple say they opted out of health insurance for their family of four this year after they saw their ACA premium payments jump to nearly $1,600 a month. (Hayat Norimine/KFF Health…
As health insurance costs soar, Idaho healthcare workers also feel the pinch
BOISE (KFF Health News) — Joshua and Ashley Durham run a family medicine practice, and for the first time in their lives, they have no health insurance. When the Durhams began their practice at the end of 2023 — he as a primary care physician and she as a pharmacist who handles the billing — […]
Idaho Capital Sun
As health insurance costs soar, some Idaho healthcare workers pay for medical care out of pocket
This story was first published by KFF Health News on Sept. 22, 2026. Joshua and Ashley Durham run a family medicine practice, and for the first time in their lives, they have no health insurance. When the Durhams began their practice at the end of 2023 — he as a primary care physician and she […]
KFF Health News
As Health Insurance Costs Soar, Healthcare Workers Also Feel the Pinch
Like many Americans, Joshua and Ashley Durham saw their health insurance premiums rise by hundreds of dollars a month this year. Despite being healthcare practitioners all too aware of the risks, they chose to go uninsured. Others, though, can’t afford to go without.
The rapid increase in health insurance costs in the U.S. is leading even families working in the healthcare sector to choose to go uninsured. Dr. Joshua, who runs a family medicine clinic in Idaho...
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 56% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
