Idaho House Speaker: Still short on Medicaid expansion votes

Idaho Speaker of the House Scott Bedke says he doesn’t have enough votes to pass either a basic Medicaid expansion bill or a Medicaid expansion bill that includes work requirements, and it could be weeks before a compromise is found.

Bedke made the remarks at a Legislative Leadership Luncheon event hosted by the Idaho Press Club on Tuesday.

Voters authorized Medicaid expansion in November through an initiative called Proposition 2 after years of inaction by the Legislature. The expansion will provide access to health care for Idaho residents who are too poor to get health insurance on the state exchange, but earn too much to qualify for the state’s current Medicaid program.

The Idaho Senate overwhelmingly approved the proposed 2020 budget for Medicaid expansion in a 31-3 vote on Monday. You can view that story HERE.