Bill description: Department of Health and Welfare, Medicaid Fiscal Year 2021 appropriation 

Rating: -1

No program is as large nor is as big a threat to the fiscal health of Idaho as the state’s Medicaid program. 

In Fiscal Year 1999, total Medicaid was appropriated $533 million. In Fiscal Year 2018, the appropriation was $2.3 billion. That number climbed to $2.45 billion in Fiscal Year 2019, not including a $53.5 million supplemental for Medicaid to be covered by a separate bill, Senate Bill 1139. 

For Fiscal Year 2020, the Medicaid appropriation was $2.83 billion, not including the recently approved FY20 supplemental request of nearly $70 million as provided by Senate Bill 1393.

This appropriation is $3.1 billion and that includes $3.5 million for the Health Data Exchange, in addition to the $16 million just added with the FY20 supplemental. 

Finally, there is $2.8 million added for Home Visiting Services that was not recommended by the governor. That includes $840,000 of General Funds.