Idaho Medicaid budget briefing: committee hears $367 million forecast adjustment and $190 million hospital-assessment request

Boise — The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Feb. 26 received an overview of Idaho’s Medicaid budget that highlighted large supplemental requests and a major population forecast adjustment tied to caseload growth and federal funding changes.

“The division of Medicaid is responsible for administering plans to finance and deliver health services for people at risk due to low income and other factors,” Alex Williamson, budget and policy analyst with Legislative Services, told the committee. Williamson walked members through five supplementals the governor recommended for fiscal 2025 and a series of 2026 enhancement requests.

Why it matters: Idaho Medicaid spending has risen for multiple reasons cited by Williamson and Department of Health and Welfare Director Alex Adams — the COVID-19 public health emergency’s effects, provider rate increases enacted by the Legislature and changes to how hospitals and skilled nursing facilities are reimbursed. Those changes, plus caseload growth, are driving both near-term supplementals and a larger ongoing population forecast increase.

Key numbers and…