BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho House Speaker Scott Bedke said it was "indefensible" for the state's health insurance marketplace to award a no-bid contract worth up to $375,000 to one of its own board members.

Bedke joined Sen. Jim Rice, a Canyon County Republican who sits on Your Health Idaho's 19-member board, Friday in criticizing the move by exchange executive director Amy Dowd to give board member Frank Chan the $180 per hour contract.

The amount is nearly double what Chan, who has resigned his post, gets paid for separate state work. Rice aims to push for policies that prevent contracts with exchange insiders, especially if such deals aren't publicly advertised or competitive. Bedke said he's eager to see these changes — to bolster confidence in how the exchange is doling out taxpayer-funded contracts.

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