Bill Description: Senate Bill 1097 would create a new fund to spend an estimated $187 million on "Medicaid management information systems."

Rating: -3

Does it create, expand, or enlarge any agency, board, program, function, or activity of government? Conversely, does it eliminate or curtail the size or scope of government?

Senate Bill 1097 would create Section 67-3536, Idaho Code, a new section titled "Medicaid Management Information Systems Dedicated Fund." This section would establish "a fund to be known as the medicaid management information systems dedicated fund" in the state treasury. 

It would further require that in FY23, "general fund moneys reflected in the medicaid division's supplemental budget request and remaining in the cooperative welfare fund from appropriations made to the medicaid division will be transferred to the medicaid management information systems dedicated fund at the close of the fiscal year or as soon as possible thereafter."

The stated purpose of this fund would be the "procurement, design, development, and installation of medicaid management information systems."

(-1)

Does it increase government spending (for objectionable purposes) or debt? Conversely, does it decrease government spending or debt?

According to the Statement of Purpose for Senate Bill 1097, the fund would use "one-time general funds resulting from the Public Health Emergency (PHE) enhanced federal match for the Medicaid MMIS (Medicaid Management Information Systems) procurement project." These are federal funds, funded largely through deficits and debt that is mortgaging the futures of our children and grandchildren, to subsidize this generation's unsustainable consumption.

(-1)

Does it directly or indirectly create or increase any taxes, fees, or other assessments? Conversely, does it eliminate or reduce any taxes, fees, or other assessments?

The Fiscal Note for Senate Bill 1097 says that, in addition to growing federal spending and debt, the bill "allows surplus General Fund moneys to be retained in a dedicated fund. …" 

It further explains that "when a surplus exists for Division of Medicaid appropriations at the end of the fiscal year," "the surplus moneys will transfer to the dedicated fund instead of being reverted."

Idaho taxpayers are the source of the money in Idaho's General Fund and any "surplus moneys" should be returned to the taxpayers, not swept into a fund to continue growing an insidious and harmful government program. 

(-1)