Repeal of Medicaid expansion will hurt indigent fund

Editor,

 House Bill 138 recently passed the House by a 38-32 vote. District 9 representatives Boyle and Shirts voted in favor of the bill. The bill effectively repeals Medicaid expansion in Idaho. The bill now heads to the Senate. 

 Medicaid expansion was approved by more than 60% of Idaho voters in 2018. That vote provided access to health care for Idahoans who were not eligible for coverage under traditional Medicaid and those without sufficient income to access other sources of health insurance. 

 The federal government picks up 90% of the cost of expansion. 89,300 Idahoans are eligible under expansion. Income eligibility for expansion in 2025 will be $44,367 for a family of four. 

 According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Weiser’s median household income is $45,463 (2023 dollars). That means half of the households in Weiser earn less than $45,463. Without access to expansion, there will be an increased demand on Washington County’s indigent care fund, as people without coverage will still go to the hospital for emergencies. 

 Access to preventive care services will disappear. Analysts estimate the recent positive economic impact of expansion has been $1.5 billion for the state. The legislature says it does not have $50 million to help defray the increased cost of expansion, but they apparently have $50 million to set aside in tax credits for a handful of families to send their kids to private schools?

Wil Overgaard

Weiser, Idaho