Rating: 0

Bill Summary:
H0134 creates a new Chapter 23 in Title 39 of Idaho Code to require that all individual and group health insurance plans in Idaho provide annual coverage for supplemental breast cancer screenings for patients at increased risk. Covered screenings may include MRIs, contrast mammograms, or ultrasounds, and eligibility is based on medical conditions such as dense breast tissue, BRCA mutations, personal or family history of breast cancer, or prior radiation treatment. The bill allows insurers to apply standard cost-sharing measures like deductibles or copays. It includes an emergency clause and becomes effective January 1, 2026.

Reason for Rating:
While H0134 addresses a legitimate public health concern and applies narrowly to medically high-risk individuals, it also establishes a state-level mandate on private insurance coverage, which may conflict with the Idaho Republican Party Platform’s emphasis on free-market healthcare and limited government regulation. The bill neither creates a new agency nor broadly expands eligibility, but it does compel private insurers to provide a specific benefit regardless of their actuarial structure. This balance of targeted benefit and increased regulatory precedent warrants a neutral rating under the platform.