Update:
It’ll be up to Gov. Brad Little whether people will have to prove they’ve been working for at least three months to qualify for health coverage under Medicaid expansion in Idaho.
State senators easily passed the bill Tuesday afternoon.
Federal law allows states to choose a work history look back between one and three months on top of reverifying eligibility every six months.
"We want to make sure that somebody just doesn’t go out and get a job two weeks or three weeks before they apply," said Sen. Julie VanOrden (R-Pingree), the bill's sponsor.
Senate Democratic Leader Melissa Wintrow (D-Boise) believes the proposal is more nefarious than supporters let on.
“This bill is an attempt to do a backdoor repeal of Medicaid expansion," Wintrow said.
Since more than 61% of voters approved of Medicaid expansion in 2018, Republican legislators have continuously tried to restrict access to the program or repeal it altogether.
Under a federal law passed last summer, expansion enrollees nationwide will have to prove they performed at least 80 hours of work-related activities each month. That could include, as the term implies, working, along with being enrolled in school or volunteering.
Those work requirements must be implemented by Jan. 1, 2027, though states could receive an extension.
Gov. Little will have five days from when it reaches his office to sign, veto or let the bill pass into law without his signature.
The original story from March 26, 2026 is below:
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 80 hours a month 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.
Copyright 2026 Boise State Public Radio
