Second Quarterly Idaho Business Survey Polls Health Care Spending

BOISE- The second quarterly Business Insider survey of Idaho business owners and executives focuses on the impact of employer health care costs, following adoption of the Affordable Care Act.

Made possible by financial support from Stoel Rives LLP, the survey polls local business owners, CEOs and other business leaders on the economy, business climate and other business issues relevant to Idaho's business community. The first quarterly survey focused on business outlook. Subsequent surveys are scheduled to focus on taxes and regulation. The Business Insider and The Idaho Statesman maintain full editorial control of the survey.

Survey respondents reported that they were “worried, heartened, frustrated, encouraged and financially stressed by health care reform.” Many said their companies are now offering their workers high-deductible insurance plans paired with health-savings accounts — a model that shifts more financial risk onto employees, while offering them an option to set aside pre-tax money to cover any bills they do incur.

The survey draws on the responses of 12 participants: J.Thomas Ahlquist, COO, Garner Co.; Darrell T. Anderson, President and CEO, Idaho Power; James F. Cleary Jr., President and CEO, MWI Veterinary Supply; William G. Gilbert Jr., Co-founder and managing director, The Caprock Group; Sally Jeffcoat, President and CEO, Saint Alphonsus Health System; Jim Kissler, CEO, Norco; Bob Lokken, CEO, WhiteCloud Analytics; Rob Perez, President and CEO, Northwest Bank; Lucio Prado, Owner, Ell Gallo Giro; Matt Rissell, CEO, TSheets; Karen Vauk, President and CEO, The Idaho Foodbank; and William J. "Bill" Whitacre, President and CEO, J.R. Simplot Co.

Visit www.idahostatesman.com to read the complete survey.