Healthcare (Hospitals)

H 759 revises Idaho's Medicaid provider payment rules to reduce costs and increase transparency. It sets payment rates at 90% of Medicare rates for most services (up to 100% for primary care), requires annual cost surveys for home-based services with 15% audits, and mandates public reporting of survey results by December 31 each year. The bill directly affects residential habilitation providers, hospitals, and other Medicaid service providers by requiring them to allocate funds to direct care wages and meet spending thresholds. Key mechanisms include new reimbursement rates for hospitals (e.g., 101% for in-state critical access hospitals), a three-year budget reduction target for hospital payments, and nullifying specific administrative rules after 2026.