Rating: +1
Bill Summary:
House Bill 345 repeals and replaces sections of Idaho Code relating to the state’s administration of Medicaid waivers and plan amendments. It requires that any future amendment or waiver that expands eligibility or increases costs must receive prior legislative approval by statute. The bill specifically authorizes certain amendments—such as rural emergency hospital payments, cost-sharing requirements, and managed care reforms—while codifying policies that require work participation and biannual eligibility redeterminations for Medicaid expansion enrollees.
It also prohibits the use of Medicaid funds for gender reassignment procedures and reinforces Idaho’s statutory prohibitions on child sterilization. Additionally, the bill repeals several administrative rules (IDAPA) related to Medicaid cost-sharing, imposes value-based purchasing requirements, and calls for provider cost containment strategies. The emergency clause enacts the legislation effective July 1, 2025.
Reason for Rating:
H0345 aligns closely with the Idaho Republican Party Platform by restoring legislative oversight over executive agency actions, placing strict limits on Medicaid expansion, requiring work and income-based eligibility standards, and instituting cost-control reforms rooted in private-sector practices. It reinforces conservative social values by prohibiting state-funded gender transition procedures and repeals overreaching administrative rules to simplify and restrain state bureaucracy. For these reasons, House Bill 345 is appropriately rated at +1.