BOISE, Idaho — Idaho Governor Brad Little signed House Bill 345 on Wednesday which mandates that any changes to the Medicaid State Plan must receive authorization from the legislature before taking effect.
H.B. 345 outlines several areas where legislative approval will be necessary, including provisions regarding rural emergency hospital designations, Medicaid cost-sharing amendments, and more. The bill also introduces work requirements for able-bodied adults enrolled in Medicaid, specifying that participants must work, study, or volunteer at least 20 hours a week to be eligible for the program.
"We want Idahoans to become as self-sufficient as possible. House Bill 345 reinforces that goal while reasonably reeling in Medicaid spending so taxpayers are not overly burdened by this program in the outyears," Gov. Little said in a press release. "House Bill 345 is a huge improvement over a previous version that would have reversed voter-approved Medicaid Expansion in 2018."
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Advocates of the bill argue that legislative oversight is crucial for responsible Medicaid administration. Critics, however, have argued that the additional layers of approval could slow down the implementation of necessary amendments.
In response to the signing of the bill, Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren Necochea released the following statement: “Governor Little and every Republican legislator just ripped health coverage away from thousands of Idahoans. Voter-enacted Medicaid expansion largely covers working Idahoans, but it’s also a lifeline for those who lose jobs, have hours cut, or need to care for a sick family member."
Necochea, in her statement, also criticized the potential harms of the new work requirements. "These so-called ‘work requirements’ do nothing to help find jobs, but they will take away insulin, cancer treatment, and mental health services ... . Idaho’s disability community is rightly terrified."
