Idaho House lawmakers will soon debate adding several restrictions to its voter-approved Medicaid expansion program.
After several hours of testimony Wednesday, the House Health and Welfare Committee passed a bill to tweak Idaho’s Medicaid expansion. It was the second time in two weeks the group has considered such a bill.
The proposal includes adding work requirements and would force those earning between 100 percent and 138 percent of the federal poverty level to pay for a private, subsidized health insurance plan instead of enrolling in Medicaid.
Rep. Ilana Rubel (D-Boise) calls the bill a “gutting” of what Idaho citizens passed by nearly 61 percent last November.
“We’ve heard a tremendous amount of testimony that this is a bill that does bad things to good people. It will cost millions of dollars to create a secondary gap,” Rubel said.
The bill comes out of committee without a recommendation, with Republicans saying the entire House deserves to debate the issue.
Another bill introduced in the Senate Wednesday morning from Sen. Fred Martin (R-Boise) would alter Medicaid expansion in some similar ways.
For example, it would immediately void the Medicaid expansion program should the federal government pay any less than 90 percent of the cost. Both plans would also ask the feds to help cover medical costs for those experiencing significant mental health issues.
However, Martin’s bill would implement a voluntary work and training program instead of making it mandatory.
Reclaim Idaho, the group who helped put Medicaid expansion on the ballot last year, said they “could live with [Martin’s bill]” but they would prefer to leave the program unaltered.
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