State lawmakers concluded Idaho’s 94-day legislative session on April 10. The whirlwind session saw leadership changes within the Republican Majority and the passage of significant legislation affecting election ballots, infrastructure, gender issues, and more.
Health Policy Highlights:
Medicaid
- PASSED – HB 398 requires legislative approval for all Medicaid plan amendments or waivers, but does not affect existing exemptions.
- PASSED – HB 518 aligns Medicaid provider fraud statutes with state insurance fraud laws and federal regulations, enhancing penalties and investigative powers, effective July 1.
- FAILED – HB 419, which proposed to repeal federal Medicaid expansion unless 11 new requirements were met, did not advance from the committee stage.
Professional Licensure
- PASSED – HB 436 consolidates several health advisory boards – dietetics, athletic training, respiratory therapy, and naturopathic medicine – into a single allied health advisory board, effective July 1.
- FAILED – HB 393, which failed by a single vote, would have allowed Licensed Professional Counselors to practice across state lines via telehealth or in person.
- FAILED – HB 418 aimed to reclassify “bridge year” physicians as “assistant” physicians and expand its classification criteria from one to three years.
Medical Liens
- PASSED – HB 501, which received unanimous support, updates the 1941 medical lien laws to reflect modern medical billing practices and extends filing times for providers.
- PASSED – SB 1284 will require hospitals to notify property owners via certified letter when issuing a lien, effective July 1.
Budget Update:
Legislative leaders introduced a new budgeting process to enhance transparency and approved $2 billion over ten years to upgrade school facilities. The Idaho LAUNCH program, established under HB 24, provides up to $8,000 in grants to high school graduates pursuing higher education or training in in-demand fields, strengthening Idaho’s workforce.
