Wednesday, Aug.12

From Boise State Public Radio, this is The Connector, Idaho Daily News. Good morning. I'm Lauren Patterson. It's Wednesday, August 12th. On the docket today, kids in Boise start heading back to school, and there's a fire weather watch for multiple Idaho cities starting tomorrow. Idaho lawmakers are digging into how the state might better regulate health insurance companies that poorly treat their customers and health care providers. James Dawson has more. The newly formed Idaho Health Insurers Working Group is studying how poorly performing companies affect their customers' health when they delay treatments and refuse to reimburse providers. Here's the group's co-chair, Republican Representative Dustin Manwaring. A delay that may seem minor on paper can mean a long drive, missed work. postpone treatment or a worsening health condition for someone in our district. Manwaring's own Pocatello district is facing these issues. The state's insurance provider regents is in a contract fight with the city's hospital, Portnuff Medical Center. Faith Nolton, who runs Idaho's Office of Group Insurance, told legislators that Portnuff's for-profit owners have asked for much higher reimbursement rates. It's my understanding. Had we given them what they were requesting for an increase, it would have increased our entire health plan by 7%. About 3,000 people of the state plan's 65,000 insured have had to seek routine medical care elsewhere while negotiations are ongoing. Lawmakers plan to further dive into the issue next month. James Dawson, Boise State Public Radio News. A fire weather watch will go into effect for several areas in Idaho tomorrow, including Boise, Twin Falls, and McCall. The fire warning will be in effect from 3 p.m. tomorrow until 6 a.m. Thursday. The alarm clock was set a bit earlier this morning for thousands of Boise families as many students go back to school. But as George Prentice reports, teachers and staff are facing an unexpected challenge this semester. Unhealthy air. There are 32 public elementary schools in Boise. You know, I think that there is something that never gets old about the beginning of the school year, especially when you're in an elementary school. There are about 200 students at Jefferson Elementary on the Boise bench, where Stacey McKenna is the principal. We're a smaller school. In Southeast Boise, more than 1,300 students are returning to Timberline High School. where this week also starts a full slate of sports, including soccer and football. But Principal Chad Wright says they will be tackling more than each other on the field. They are contending with poor air quality. We are just constantly watching the AQI and seeing what that number is and what it allows us to do. Back at Lincoln Elementary, Principal McKenna says this lousy air might be a teaching moment. We have amazing teachers here who sees every opportunity to turn something that's going on into a learning moment. So there will be some teaching about the air quality.

The air quality forecast for Boisey today is unhealthy for sensitive groups, and that includes children. George Pretus, Boise State Public Radio News. Today will be a half day for Boise. They'll head home around noon. And that's today's episode of The Connector. I'm Lauren Patterson. Are you digging the podcast? Let me know how I'm doing. Send an email to podcasts at boiseystate.edu. I hope the rest of the day is good to you. The fatal shooting of a teenager at a protest in Seattle has gone unsolved for six years. This is open in your face. How are there no answers? Our investigation has uncovered new evidence and witnesses who say they've never talked to police. Did police ever call you? Not once. Listen to We Keep Us Safe, a new true crime series on the Embedded podcast from NPR.