By Melissa Davlin, Idaho Reports
Have some questions after House Health and Welfare sent the Medicaid requirements bill to general orders? I did too! Here are a few answers.
-Why did the five Republicans who opposed the original work requirement bill vote to send the Senate bill to general orders instead of kill it? Because there are some needed tweaks, like a waiver to use Medicaid funds to pay for mental health care, said Rep. Jarom Wagoner, vice chair of the committee. Wagoner acknowledged it’s a long shot that the House will vote for just those uncontroversial tweaks to Medicaid expansion, but it’s worth a shot, he said. Expect multiple amendments, some of which will compete with each other.
-Is the court decision striking down work requirements on the House’s radar? Yes, said Rep. Megan Blanksma, House Majority Caucus Chairwoman and member of the committee. But, she said, she doesn’t know what will come out of those discussions. As of Wednesday’s committee meeting, the House hadn’t had a chance to caucus and examine the Senate’s amended bill.
-Will we see amendments before they hit the House floor? Only if the amendment authors choose to release them to the public and reporters. Typically, those amendments and fiscal notes are submitted directly to the House clerk, and no one sees them until the House takes them up. That said, authors can choose to share them ahead of time.
