Bill Description: House Bill 398 would prevent the Department of Health and Welfare from seeking or implementing certain new Medicaid state plan amendments or waivers without explicit statutory authority.

Rating: +1

NOTE: The Senate Amendment to House Bill 398 limits the scope of the bill, reducing the increased accountability the bill would provide. The analysis has been updated to reflect the changes (the underlined text was added by the amendment.) The rating has not changed.

Does it in any way restrict public access to information related to government activity or otherwise compromise government transparency, accountability, or election integrity? Conversely, does it increase public access to information related to government activity or increase government transparency, accountability, or election integrity?

House Bill 398 would change the process by which state officials secure the permission of the federal government to make changes to Medicaid, which they manage under federal rules. It would create Section 56-270, Idaho Code, to say, "Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the state department of health and welfare shall not seek or implement a medicaid state plan amendment or a waiver pursuant to section 1115 or 1915 of the social security act that would expand coverage to any additional individuals or class of individuals or would increase any cost to the state without first obtaining approval from the legislature. Such approval must be provided in statute."

It would exclude "any state plan amendment or waiver program already implemented as of the effective date of this section" from these requirements.

Requiring explicit legislative approval of (potentially costly) changes to the Medicaid system can reduce the ability of unelected bureaucrats to make decisions that obligate Idaho residents to spend their tax dollars on a socialistic program of wealth redistribution.

(+1)