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Bill enhancing Medicaid funds passes the Idaho House

by Alexandra Duggan/Special to The Press
| March 1, 2021 1:08 AM

In the midst of a pandemic that has lasted nearly a year now, health care is one of the biggest issues within battling COVID-19.

House Bill 216, which gives the Department of Health and Welfare an extra $369 million, will fund the bills incurred by Idahoans that participate in Medicaid and Medicaid Expansion. It passed 37-31.

Rep. Caroline Nilsson Troy, R-Genesee, the sponsor of Bill 216, mentioned rural hospitals and those on Medicaid within those hospitals not being able to receive care, and those areas lacking nurses and health professionals to be able to help with the ongoing pandemic. Helping Medicaid pay the bills to then be able to help those enrolled in Medicaid is something Troy believes is Idaho’s responsibility, since Idaho citizens voted to expand Medicaid in the last election.

“I’m concerned about those rural hospitals,” said Troy. “They are struggling to keep their nurses on board.”

The main point that people from both parties could agree on was that Idaho has to be accountable in paying its bills — regardless if they disagree on the concept of Medicaid or not.

The expansion was voted on by citizens and passed by the Legislature that Medicaid would expand to cover those who were ineligible for subsidies and also ineligible for Medicaid. In 2020, that gap closed to cover 53,000 people as of last January, and a year later projections are nearing about 92,000.

Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens, opposed Bill 216. He said Idaho cannot afford to use federal money.

“We are committing our children to economic slavery,” Barbieri said.

Rep. Ron Nate, R-Rexburg, was adamant that Idaho should be able to fund things on its own, rather than also using federal money.

“Let’s find ways to fund things ourselves and stop spending other people’s money,” Nate said.

During the debate on the floor, Nate made it clear he was against the expansion already since his district did not vote for it.

“Do I fund a program my district didn’t want?” Nate asked.

Troy said if this bill ends up not going through, the program will not be able to pay bills that go out to providers across Idaho. Hospitals and health providers may not be able to keep their doors open any longer.

Rep. Rick Youngblood, R-Nampa, said Idaho needs to pay its bills.

“The money has been spent, the obligations are due, that’s what Idaho does,” Youngblood said.

House Bill 216 will move on to the Senate for consideration. If passed, it will move to Gov. Brad Little's desk for review.

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Alexandra Duggan is a McClure Center Legislative Intern from the University of Idaho.