Healthcare costs are rising at an unsustainable pace for Idaho families, employers and communities. The impact is personal: people delay care because they fear the bill, stretch prescriptions to make them last, or weigh treatment against groceries, gas or rent. No one should have to make those choices.

This is a key reason I appreciate the Idaho Legislature’s decision to convene a working group to examine health insurers’ performance and practices. Done thoughtfully and grounded in facts, public scrutiny can move us beyond blame and toward solutions. It can show where the system works, where it falls short and what must change to make care more affordable and accessible. As a not-for-profit health plan founded by Idaho physicians, Regence BlueShield of Idaho welcomes these conversations.

However, if we want to accurately diagnose, treat and genuinely improve the health, function, accessibility, affordability and quality of healthcare in Idaho, we cannot isolate one part of the system and expect lasting progress. Healthcare is an interconnected ecosystem. Its challenges are not caused by one stakeholder alone, and its solutions will not come from one stakeholder alone.

The legislative working group has an opportunity to look beyond sound bites and examine the real cost drivers in healthcare. Insurance is highly visible because premiums are paid every month, but premiums reflect the underlying cost of care: hospital prices, prescription drug prices, utilization, benefit mandates, administrative requirements and complex treatment. Durable solutions must address these root causes.

Idaho leaders should take their cues from the concept of “whole person health,” where a provider treats a patient as a complete human being rather than just focusing on the symptoms they show in the exam room on a given day.

We can’t tackle the problems in healthcare without taking a holistic, “whole system” approach, one that evaluates all key groups: providers, pharmaceutical companies, payers and patients.

Providers are central to the experience and cost of care. They diagnose, treat, refer, prescribe and guide patients through some of the most important decisions of their lives. Their work must be supported with better data, less administrative friction and payment models that reward value, quality and appropriate care settings.

Pharmaceutical companies must also be part of the conversation. Prescription drugs—especially specialty medications—are among the fastest-growing drivers of healthcare costs. We need greater transparency, more competition, appropriate use of biosimilars and tools that help patients and prescribers understand clinically sound, lower-cost options.

Payers have a responsibility to manage healthcare dollars wisely, simplify the member experience, negotiate firmly on behalf of customers and invest in technology that makes the system work better. And patients—who too often have the least power in the system while bearing the greatest personal consequences—need clear information, trusted guidance and real choices they can act on.

Only after a thorough whole-system review can we identify root causes and implement holistic solutions. Anything less risks treating symptoms while the underlying condition worsens.

Idaho has an opportunity to lead. We are a state where relationships still matter, where leaders can sit at the same table and where practical solutions matter more than political talking points. We should use these strengths to insist that any serious discussion of reform holds every part of the healthcare system accountable.