Enrollment for Idaho’s voter-approved Medicaid expansion officially begins Friday. For the next several weeks, St. Luke’s will be helping people fill out Medicaid enrollment forms at locations in Boise, Meridian, Nampa and Twin Falls.
Those who qualify must be Idaho residents, between the ages of 19 and 64 and earn less than about $17,000 a year if they’re single.
“We can help them with the application, we can submit the application for them and we can answer their questions with regards to the program,” said Rachel Seaman, who oversees the patient access resource center at St. Luke’s.
Seaman says the staffers are also trained to help enroll people in Idaho’s health insurance exchange if they don’t qualify for Medicaid.
Estimates show up to 91,000 Idahoans could be eligible for this new coverage.
These enrollment fairs will all take place at St. Luke’s Boise Medical Center in Boise, Portico Tower North in Meridian, St. Luke’s Nampa Medical Center and St. Luke’s Magic Valley Medical Center in Twin Falls on these dates:
Saturday, November 9, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Wednesday, November 13, 5 p.m.-8 p.m.
Saturday, November 16, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Wednesday, November 20, 5 p.m-8 p.m.
Saturday, December 7, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Wednesday, December 11, 5 p.m.-8 p.m.
Saturday, December 14, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Proposition 2, which authorized the state’s Medicaid expansion program, passed with more than 60% of the vote.
It has since survived a court challenge questioning its constitutionality and could undergo further changes as the Republican-dominated legislaturehas asked the federal government if it can implement restrictions such as work requirements.
Lawmakers are also currently debatinghow the state will pay for the $41 million — Idaho’s share of the program that it's estimated to cost next fiscal year.
A legislative committee says about half of that will be covered by savings the program is expected to bring to state agencies, but some on the committee want counties to shoulder part of the bill.
Open enrollment runs through Dec. 16, with coverage beginning Jan. 1.
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