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Health and Welfare says 2022 increases used ARPA; department plans audits and cost surveys
Summary
Department of Health and Welfare officials told the Senate committee that the 2022 service enhancements and rate increases were funded with federal ARPA dollars, that a future general‑fund adjustment (~$21.8M) was expected, and that the bill’s audits and annual cost surveys would begin promptly though reports may take about a year to complete.
Sasha O'Connell, Medicaid administrator and deputy director with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, told the committee both the service enhancement funds and the rate increases in 2022 were paid with federal ARPA dollars and that the department had planned for a later general‑fund adjustment.
O'Connell said the department expects to begin audits and cost surveys promptly but does not anticipate a completed report for roughly a year; she also said the state's share of the previously allocated service array funding would be about $21,800,000 and that any rate changes tied to that shift would likely take effect July 1 in FY27. She told senators the bill would repeal specific IDAPA sections that conflict with the new approach and would require cost surveying across multiple home and community‑based services.
