The position has now been granted to Amy Dowd a former employee of the state department.
The new director of the health insurance exchange in Idaho has now been announced, bringing in Amy Dowd as its head in order to guide it toward its official launch on January 1, 2014.
Dowd had previously been an employee of the Department of Insurance within the state.
This rehiring would bring Dowd back into a position as an official for the state in this industry. The decision to hire her as its executive director was a unanimous one, following a vote on Tuesday among the 19 members of the board for the nonprofit health insurance marketplace for the state.
It is clear that the entire health insurance exchange board felt Dowd is the person for the job.
Previously, Dowd had been employed in Ohio as a health insurance exchange proposal project manager. She held that position until June 2011. At that time, she left the job in order to take one in Oregon, following a temporary stall in her progress due to opposition from the Legislature, under its Republican lead.
However, in 2013 the Legislature in the state changed its tune and gave the health insurance exchange its approval. This has prompted the state to want to bring Dowd back into a position where she can have considerable leadership and say over the direction that the marketplace will take.
An aid to Idaho Governor, C.L. “Butch” Otter, named Tammy Perkins, who is responsible for working on issues relating to health insurance, said that the state is quite fortunate that Dowd has said that she will return in order to take this important position.
Though Dowd is currently working as an Ernst & Young consultant in Oregon, she is now expected to return to Idaho in order to take on her new role as health insurance exchange executive director. This position comes with an annual salary of $175,000. It is clear that the board has considerable faith in her ability to keep the marketplace on the right track and that she will help to take them toward their goals.
