by Logan Finney, Idaho Reports

The Idaho Senate approved yet another measure Monday hoping to trim the state Medicaid budget.

HCR 30 directs the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to seek a waiver from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for work requirements like those in Georgia for Medicaid expansion.

Senate Health and Welfare Committee chairwoman Sen. Julie VanOrden, R-Blackfoot, sponsored the resolution. She co-chaired an interim task force that examined controlling the Medicaid budget.

“We do know that the voters of the state approved Medicaid expansion, and so that went into effect,” VanOrden said. “It did increase the cost to Medicaid, and as we were having the discussions, we felt like maybe it was worth trying again to apply for some waivers.”

The resolution directs IDHW to develop a cost-sharing approach for Medicaid expansion coverage. It also requests a CMS waiver allowing the Medicaid expansion population to choose between Medicaid and private health insurance plans, like those found on the Your Health Idaho exchange.

“What we are asking for is another work requirement, but a caveat to this one is that those individuals be able to choose between staying on Medicaid or going to the exchange to purchase,” VanOrden said.  

The Senate approved the measure in a 19-15 vote with the Idaho Freedom Caucus and the Democrats voting against. It has already passed the House.

“We’ve already applied for a work requirement through CMS, and they’ve denied it repeatedly. I think that’s just kind of throwing money down the drain,” said Minority Leader Sen. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise. “It’s going to cost us more to actually write the waiver and investigate it that it would to just allow it to continue.”

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