Idaho Republican lawmakers are close to finalizing new eligibility rules for those receiving health insurance through the state’s Medicaid expansion program.
House Bill 913 from Rep. John Vander Woude (R-Nampa) would force people enrolled in Medicaid expansion to prove they’ve been in-school, working, or volunteering at least 30 hours a week for three months before they could get coverage.
Vander Woude said Thursday he doesn’t want people to qualify for health insurance by working just one month.
“I like the three months because I want to make sure the requirements we’re putting in are more long-term,” he said.
Three months is the maximum lookback period allowed by federal law under the One Big Beautiful Bill passed last summer.
Senate Democratic Leader Melissa Wintrow (D-Boise) said the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is already overburdened with other projects to take on more paperwork to verify.
“I think this will present additional administrative errors that will cause people to get kicked off of Medicaid expansion,” Wintrow said.
She attempted to amend the bill to limit the lookback period to one month, but couldn’t get enough support within the Senate Health and Welfare Committee.
The legislation eventually cleared the committee on a voice vote.
About 79,000 people are currently enrolled under Idaho’s Medicaid expansion, according to state officials.
If passed by the full Senate and signed into law by the governor, Vander Woude’s bill would take effect by Dec. 31.
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