Media and Research
THE ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF IDAHO’S PHYSICIANS TO THE STATE ECONOMY
The analysis, commissioned by the Idaho Medical Association and the Idaho Coalition for Safe Healthcare Foundation (ICSHF), highlights the vital role physicians play in Idaho’s economy. Key findings include:
Idaho’s healthcare sector contributed approximately $10.4 billion directly to the state's economy in 2024.
The direct contribution of physician services in 2024 was 14,605 jobs, $1.5 billion in total compensation, $1.75 billion in gross state product, and $2.3 billion in output.
Each physician contributes an average of $1.34 million annually, meaning that the loss of 94 obstetricians since Idaho's trigger bans went into effect has cost the state more than $125 million per year. This loss comes as the state faces a projected $58.3 million budget deficit.
Recent Headlines
Advocacy in Action: Reproductive Health
Maternal Fetal Medicine physician Kylie Cooper wrote an op-ed in the Idaho Capital Sun.
“With Idaho’s abortion ban, we will lose patients from complications no one should ever die from.”
— Kylie Cooper, MD
The Coalition was featured in an Idaho Press Tribune article in August 2022.
“What is a woman and her doctor supposed to do in the circumstances where evidence-based life saving recommendations are colliding with state laws? I think it’s important for people to ask themselves, ‘Do I want the government making my medical decisions?’”
— Amelia Huntsberger, MD
NPR highlighted the formation of the Coalition in August 2022 through a radio feature story.
“We've put our hearts and our souls into taking care of our patients and to have the potential to have your license taken away from you or go to jail for taking care of an ectopic pregnancy, or treating a partial molar pregnancy, have a lot of us very, very concerned.”