Medicaid work requirements bill heads to Idaho House

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho House is set to debate a new bill that would introduce strict work requirements for the state’s Medicaid expansion program.

House Bill 913 would align Idaho's Medicaid requirements with those outlined in the federal "One Big Beautiful Bill Act."

The bill’s sponsor, Rep. John Vander Woude (R-Nampa), says work requirements have been a topic of debate since Medicaid expansion was first introduced in Idaho. According to Vander Woude, the legislation is designed to bring the program back to its original intent: providing insurance specifically for the "working poor."

Clashing Estimates on Coverage Loss

While the bill successfully passed the House Health and Welfare Committee, opponents warn that the change could strip healthcare from thousands of Idahoans.

House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel (D-Boise) argued that while the bill is not an outright Medicaid expansion repeal, it is designed to maximize the number of people who get "tripped up" and lose their insurance.

"This is all designed to make it maximally difficult for people to get coverage, with the upshot that a lot of people are going to lose coverage," Rubel told lawmakers. "And that's not good for any of us who count on hospitals to continue operating and healthcare providers to still be here and working in the state."

Rubel estimates that up to 40,000 Idahoans could lose coverage due to the change. Vander Woude argues opponents of the bill are overestimating, believing that, at most, between 15,000 and 20,000 people would lose eligibility.

How It Works: Requirements and Exemptions

Under HB 913, Medicaid expansion recipients aged 19 to 64 must complete 80 hours of work or "community engagement" per month to maintain coverage.

The bill outlines several key exemptions for individuals who are:

• Under age 26 and currently or formerly in foster care
• Medically frail
• Enrolled in school at least half-time
• Caretakers/parents of dependent children under 13, or caretakers of people with disabilities
• Pregnant or receiving postpartum care
• Veterans with disabilities