It was a busy and unpredictable legislative session this year, and now that it is officially complete, we want to share with you where two important issues ended and our next steps.
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thumbnail_alt_text===Idaho State Capitol
Throughout the session we focused on defending Medicaid expansion and the funding to provide healthcare for approximately 145,000 Idahoans. Several bills were introduced that would have made changes to Medicaid Expansion. While there were some scary moments, we are happy to share that we, with your help, successfully defended the program and its funding.
We also attempted to extend postpartum Medicaid from 60 days to a full year. While we were not able to pass it this year, we were able to introduce a bill on the issue and had the support to move legislation through the Idaho House of Representatives. Despite the pressure we were able to bring to the issue, as well as having the House Majority Leader as the sponsor of the measure, the opposition to expanded Medicaid, and perception of increased costs, caused the House Health and Welfare Committee Chairman (Rep. John VanderWoude) to hold the bill without a hearing.
We are not giving up on this issue. With Idaho experiencing an increase in maternal mortality rates, providers leaving the state, and the expiration of the Maternal Mortality Review Committee, we anticipate the pressure to bring this legislation forward in the 2024 session will be overwhelming. We will be helping lead the charge to ensure all new mothers and babies have the care they need. We support extending coverage to a full year of postpartum care and raising the eligibility rates so new mothers have access to the best care possible.
In the end it was mixed results for our efforts around Medicaid, however given the large number of freshmen legislators, and changes in leadership and committee makeup, we can be pleased with where we ended this year. We thank all of you for your efforts and lending your voice to ensure we keep access to healthcare available to all,and keep moving toward a healthier Idaho!
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