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Idaho Voters Will Weigh In On Medicaid Expansion In November

James Dawson
/
Boise State Public Radio

It’s official: Idahoans will get to vote on whether the state should expand Medicaid coverage to low-income residents.

After months of campaigning throughout the state, backers of the Reclaim Idaho campaign came out on top.

Up to 62,000 Idahoans who earn too much to be covered under current Medicaid rules and too little to qualify for a federal health insurance subsidy would be eligible for the program, if the initiative were approved.

The announcement comes nearly two weeks after backers of the campaign hand delivered boxes of petitions to the Idaho Secretary of State’s office.

To qualify, organizers had to gather more than 56,000 signatures from registered voters spread out across more than half of the state’s legislative districts.

Idaho will join neighboring Utah in voting on Medicaid expansion this fall, while state officials are validating signatures for a similar initiative in Nebraska.

Idahoans will also get to choose whether or not to legalize historic horse racing this November.

Follow James Dawson on Twitter @RadioDawson for more local news.

Copyright 2018 Boise State Public Radio

I cover politics and a bit of everything else for Boise State Public Radio. Outside of public meetings, you can find me fly fishing, making cool things out of leather or watching the Seattle Mariners' latest rebuilding season.

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