Friday, February 23, 2024

During the seventh week of the legislative session, updates are provided below on several bills that impact IMA's priorities.

12-Month Medicaid

Postpartum Coverage - Good News!

On February 22, Rep. Megan Blanksma (R-Hammett) introduced HB 633, legislation that would extend Medicaid postpartum coverage from 60 days to 12 months. Currently, after 60 days, Medicaid postpartum recipients must re-qualify to continue their coverage. Unfortunately, this creates barriers for new mothers and qualification is not certain. HB 633 would maintain continuous coverage for a full year and is a critical step towards ensuring access to health coverage and improving maternal mortality in Idaho.

In 2021, the Idaho MMRC reported 16 maternal deaths in the postpartum period, nearly all of which were determined to be avoidable. In the same report, extending Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months was presented as a key recommendation to combat such deaths.

Postpartum extension was a top IMA priority entering this legislative session. The lobby team will continue working with stakeholders and legislators to ensure HB 633 advances to become law.

SB 1234 Sent to the Full House – More Good News!

On February 19, the House Business Committee advanced SB 1234 by a narrow 9-7 margin. Rep. Jack Nelsen (R-Jerome) presented the legislation, which would allow six months of prescription contraception, to the House Business Committee with nearly 40 people providing public and written testimony, largely supportive of the legislation. Legislation similar to SB 1234 has been introduced several times in the last decade, however, this is the furthest it has advanced.

Report: A Post Roe Idaho

On February 19, the Idaho Coalition for Safe Healthcare (ICSH) published startling information regarding Idaho’s physician workforce following the United States Supreme Court reversal of Roe v Wade and subsequent implementation of Idaho’s strict abortion ban. Utilizing data compiled by the Idaho Physician Well-Being Action Collaborative, ICSH reported between 40-60 Ob/Gyns, nearly 25% of the workforce, has either left the state or retired from the workforce from the time the abortion ban went into effect in August 2022 through November 2023.

The mass exodus of Ob/Gyns from Idaho amplifies an existing workforce

shortage as Idaho once again ranks 50th in the nation in physicians per capita. To review all of the data and read the full report click HERE.

We STILL Need Your Help to

Keep IRIS Effective

This week, a scheduled hearing in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on HB 397 was postponed. IMA continues to monitor legislative activity and we anticipate a hearing very soon. If you haven’t done so already, please contact your Senator and urge them to oppose this legislation.

• The change to opt-in would negatively impact the vast majority of Idahoans who want to be automatically included in IRIS to accommodate a small minority of people who don't want their information included.
• It will be more difficult for patients and physicians to accurately keep track of necessary vaccinations if all information isn't automatically included.
• It increases the chances of patients receiving duplicate vaccinations, adding unnecessary healthcare costs.
• The change to opt-in would create additional work and expense for physicians and other healthcare providers, especially in rural clinics.
• Costs to the state would also increase, as opt-in registries are more expensive to maintain.

Contact your Senator by clicking HERE.

Upcoming AMA Advocacy Insights Webinar: State of the States

The AMA Advocacy Insights series will be hosting a webinar to discuss national trends related to prior authorization, scope of practice and physician wellness. AMA attorneys will analyze legislation they are seeing introduced throughout various state legislative sessions and discuss the impacts to patients and physicians.

The webinar is scheduled for March 5 at 9am Mountain time. Follow the link to register HERE.

Throughout the Legislative Session, IMA monitors legislation and provides status updates every Friday. Click here to view the IMA Bill Tracker.