Governor's Medicaid Redesign Workgroup Report and Recommendation

In his State of the State speech, Governor Otter urged legislators to hear his Medicaid Redesign Workgroup's findings and recommendations. On Thursday both the House and the Senate Health and Welfare Committees listened to the Workgroup's presentation. 

"We believe we have come out with a homegrown Idaho solution that is trying to optimize local tax dollars for local use," Richard Armstrong, director of the Department of Health and Welfare told the House Health and Welfare Committee on Thursday morning. The presentation gave an overview of the alignment of Idaho's healthcare initiatives, Idahoans' access to healthcare, the "Gap" population, the workgroup's recommendations, and then strategies and next steps. 

It was explained that not expanding Medicaid to cover 103,000 uninsured Idahoans has cost Idaho taxpayers "hundreds of millions of dollars" in federal funds. The workgroup has developed an alternate funding strategy that would give Idaho power over the funds and would save the state 173 million dollars over the next ten years. Armstrong described that their solution would optimize local tax dollars for local use. Over the next ten years, the costs of the 103,000 uninsured Idahoans would climb to 7.2 billion dollars. Utilizing the workgroup's recommended plan would require the state to pay only 194 million dollars of the cost while the federal government pays the rest; without the new plan the state may be responsible for all of the costs.

The "homegrown Idaho solution" is unique in that it makes recipients accountable and includes an opt-out option if the federal funds ended. Armstrong told the committee that the recommended plan "truly does incorporate unprecedented concessions from the federal government."

The workgroup's presentation can be found here.

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee also heard from the Governor's Workgroup on Thursday at 3:00 PM. Neva Santos the executive director of the Idaho Academy of Family Physicians and Department of Health and Welfare Director Richard Armstrong presented the workgroup's report and recommendation. 

On Thursday the House State Affairs Committee voted to introduce House Bill 88. The piece of legislation would add to existing law and provide additional requirements for medical abortions. The bill will require providers to determine that the abortion is safe and appropriate and will also require providers to schedule follow-up visits with abortion patients so that the provider can confirm that the pregnancy has been terminated and assess the patient's medical condition.

The Bill text can be found here.

As the Public Health Club President at Boise State, Molly has partnered with Close the Gap Idaho to bring an informational Medicaid Redesign Workshop to students and the public. The workshop will include a presentation on Close the Gap's effort to develop a smart health care policy that would provide health insurance to tens of thousands of Idahoans, a question and answer session, and a presentation on the policy process and how to get involved.

When:             4:00 PM on February 17th

Where:           The Brink Room @ the Student Union Building

                       Boise State University Campus

Bills/Rules of Note

If there are specific Bills or Rules that you would like Molly to track, please let her know.