The Idaho House could soon take up a bill critics say would almost certainly repeal the state’s Medicaid expansion plan.
The measure passed out of the House Health and Welfare Committee Wednesday morning on an 8-7 vote despite just a handful of people testifying in support of the bill.
If the federal government doesn’t approve 10 conditions outlined in the bill, like an enrollment cap and a lifetime benefits limit, Idaho would trash the program that offers health insurance to the working poor.
Rep. Jordan Redman (R-Coeur d’Alene), who sponsors House Bill 138, said about half of enrollees do not currently work – another requirement under his proposal.
“If we don’t fix this, we’re going to be watching Medicaid drain our budget and put able-bodied adults ahead of those that truly need the help,” Redman said.
As of the end of December, about 90,000 Idahoans enrolled in Medicaid expansion, which covers those who earn too much money to qualify for traditional Medicaid and too little to earn a federal health insurance subsidy.
In the current fiscal year, Idaho’s general fund share of the Medicaid expansion budget totals $82.2 million. That’s 9% of the state’s total Medicaid costs spread across the four programs.
Redman said he’s concerned the Trump administration might no longer fund 90% of the cost of Medicaid expansion in the future.
The continuation of that cost splitting ratio is another requirement he has to keep the program afloat.
Redman repeatedly said he doesn’t want to repeal Medicaid expansion. Instead, he compared the proposal to holding a gun to D.C. bureaucrats’ heads.
“This is the bullets in the gun to kind of force them a little bit, right? Without that, I do think it could sit on a desk and not have any attention to it.”
“My concern is the bullets are in the gun like you said. We’ve got the gun pointed at ourselves, not at the bureaucrats,” said Rep. Josh Wheeler (R-Ammon).
Rep. Dori Healey (R-Boise), an advanced practice registered nurse, agreed.
“We’re placing the lives of Idahoans in the hands of the federal government,” said Healey. “I’ve never seen so much faith placed in Washington, D.C.”
Nearly each person who testified Wednesday opposed the bill, ranging from doctors and nurses to working parents.
James Giuffre, who spent more than nine years as director of two of Idaho’s public health districts, said Medicaid expansion is working.
“We have gotten people who’ve, heretofore, not gotten health care services into primary care and preventive services,” Giuffre said, noting care gets more expensive the longer people put it off.
Mark Johnson was one of the few who supported the measure, saying the state shouldn’t extend health coverage to able-bodied adults.
“The reason I’m a grumpy old man or I call myself that is because I’ve worked for 45 years to-date and paid my way the entire way,” Johnson said.
Rep. Megan Egbert (D-Boise) said more than 250 either signed up to testify against the bill or submitted written testimony opposing it compared to eight in favor.
The bill now goes to the House floor.
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