This law establishes a new Idaho Rural Health Transformation Fund to manage federal grant money aimed at improving healthcare access in rural areas. It creates a nine-member committee to oversee how these funds are spent, ensuring projects meet specific goals and produce long-term sustainability plans. The bill also directs the Department of Health and Welfare to hire additional staff and provides nearly $300 million in funding for the 2027 fiscal year to support indirect support services. Additionally, it requires the state to report on efforts to expand the job scope for physician assistants and dental hygienists as part of the broader rural health strategy.
This bill appropriates $35.6 million to Idaho's Department of Health and Welfare for public health services in fiscal year 2027, while simultaneously reducing funding for laboratory services and health care policy initiatives. It also decreases the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions by three and mandates several reports on program outcomes, vaccine utilization, and immigration status for HIV prevention services. Although the bill was signed by the President, the Governor exercised a line-item veto on the section reducing funds for the Health Care Policy Initiatives Program.
This bill expands Medicaid eligibility in Idaho to include adults under 65 with incomes at or below 133% of the federal poverty level who currently lack other coverage. It requires the state to submit necessary plan amendments to the federal government within 90 days and ensures eligibility is not delayed while waiting for federal approval. The legislation includes provisions to maintain federal funding levels and requires a review of the program if federal support decreases, while also mandating community engagement requirements by December 2026 before enrollment becomes effective.
This bill appropriates state and federal funds to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and the State Independent Living Council for fiscal year 2027, covering programs like Medicaid, child welfare, mental health services, and substance abuse treatment. It establishes specific funding amounts for various divisions including youth safety, early learning, family partnerships, and benefit payments, while also limiting the number of authorized full-time equivalent positions. The legislation includes requirements for program integrity, monthly Medicaid tracking reports, and cost-sharing for certain services, and directs how specific funds must be used for initiatives like smoking cessation, opioid response, and rural physician incentives.
This bill allocates $200,000 from the state's General Fund to the Idaho Legislature for fiscal year 2026 to support the operations of the Medicaid Review Panel. The funding covers operating expenses from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026, and includes authority to carry forward any unused funds for nonrecurring expenses in the following fiscal year. The legislation also declares an emergency to allow the appropriation to take effect immediately upon passage, ensuring the panel can continue its work without interruption.
This bill, known as the Idaho Parental Rights Act, establishes and protects parents' fundamental right to make medical decisions for their minor children. It requires health care providers and government entities to obtain parental consent before providing nonemergency medical services to children under 18, with limited exceptions for emergencies or when parents have given blanket written consent. The law also creates a legal mechanism allowing parents to sue state or local governments if their parental rights are violated, and if they win, they can recover attorney fees and costs. Additionally, the bill repeals previous laws that allowed minors to consent to certain medical treatments without parental permission and removes confidentiality protections that might prevent parents from accessing their children's medical information.
This bill appropriates $35.7 million to Idaho's Department of Health and Welfare for public health services in fiscal year 2027, while reducing the budget for laboratory services by $78,400 and cutting three full-time equivalent positions. The funding covers physical health services, immunization programs, and disease prevention efforts including suicide prevention, HIV surveillance, and hepatitis monitoring. The legislation requires the department to submit annual reports by December 31, 2026, detailing outcomes and return on investment for these programs. The bill also mandates a specific report on vaccine utilization rates and cost savings from the Immunization Assessment Fund.
This bill updates Idaho Medicaid rules to increase transparency and oversight of payments to healthcare providers, particularly those serving people with disabilities. It establishes specific payment rates based on Medicare equivalents for most services, requires annual cost surveys with audits for residential habilitation providers, and mandates that providers spend allocated funds on direct care worker wages or face potential penalties. The legislation also introduces value-based payment options for certain providers, sets reimbursement percentages for different hospital types, and requires the state to reduce general fund spending on hospital payments by specified amounts. Additionally, it declares certain existing administrative rules null and void as of July 1, 2026, and requires all future provider rate changes to receive legislative approval through the budget process.
This bill expands exemptions for newborn health screenings in Idaho. It allows parents or guardians to opt out based on religious, philosophical, or conscientious beliefs (previously only religious objections were permitted), or by providing a physician's certification that screenings would endanger the child's health. The change directly affects parents seeking exemptions for infants' required screenings under current law. It takes effect July 1, 2026, after passing unanimously in the Idaho Senate.
H 591 repeals Idaho Code Section 31-3502, which previously defined eligibility criteria for financial assistance programs. This change directly affects individuals seeking state financial aid who would have been evaluated under the repealed law. The bill removes the existing eligibility rules but does not establish new requirements or programs. It takes effect on July 1, 2026, as declared an emergency.
