Medicaid expansion on the 'must address' list for lawmakers
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Despite legal challenges at the state and federal level, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare is moving ahead with a citizen-directed Medicaid expansion effort.
Health and Welfare spokeswoman Niki Forbing-Orr said the agency expects to submit its amended state Medicaid plan to the federal government for approval by Feb. 15.
Voters authorized the move in November, after years of inaction on the part of the Idaho Legislature, when they approved the Prop 2 Medicaid expansion initiative by a margin of 61 percent to 39 percent.
The measure directs the state to expand Medicaid eligibility rules to include anyone earning less than 133 percent of the federal poverty level. That will provide access to preventative health care services for about 62,000 low-income Idahoans.
Read more: https://magicvalley.com/news/state-and-regional/medicaid-expansion-on-the-must-address-list-for-lawmakers/article_70e548e4-b02c-5a0b-9511-f1db516fb0b8.html