Medicaid recipients could be required to work

Draft legislation involving voter-approved Medicaid expansion in Idaho would require recipients to meet similar work or employment training as the state requires in its food assistance program.

Documents obtained by The Associated Press show Republican Rep. Bryan Zollinger is seeking co-sponsors for the legislation. Zollinger on Wednesday said whether the legislation gets introduced depends on if a group of lawmakers meeting informally can reach an agreement involving Medicaid expansion.

He says some of what’s in the draft could be included in that agreement.

The draft legislation would require people in the Medicaid program to meet requirements similar to those in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps.

Voters authorized Medicaid expansion with an initiative that passed with 61 percent in November after years of inaction by the Idaho Legislature.