Little’s budget for Medicaid expansion eyed by lawmakers

An initial probing of Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s budget by lawmakers found that adding a work or training requirement for Medicaid expansion could add administrative costs the state would have to cover.

Idaho Division of Financial Management Alex Adams gave lawmakers an overview of Little’s budget Tuesday during the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee meeting.

The federal government would cover 90 percent of the cost of Medicaid expansion to cover some 60,000 low-income adults across the state at an estimated cost of $400 million.

State budget officials say any additional administrative costs would not have a 90-10 split but possibly a 50-50 split or would have to be covered 100 percent by the state.

Little’s budget doesn’t include money for those potential additional costs in Medicaid expansion.