The Idaho Supreme Court has dismissed a lawsuit from a bidder for an Idaho Medicaid contract to run mental health services. The Dec. 18 decision upheld a lower state court’s decision to dismiss the lawsuit by Beacon, resolving a years-long legal dispute over a managed care contract that is likely Idaho state government’s largest contract, […]
From
To
REXBURG — Idaho health officials aren’t sure that a Medicaid contractor’s cuts to critical mental health services will end up saving the state money in the long run. But because Idaho Gov. Brad Little ordered budget cuts across state government to try to avoid a projected budget shortfall — which is now estimated at $40.3 […]
Idaho’s DOGE Committee will recommend repealing Medicaid expansion and eventually eliminating the state funding for the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs. Lawmakers on the task force, named for the now disbanded federal Department of Government Efficiency, met Friday for their last meeting before the 2026 legislative session convenes Jan. 12. The task force cannot pass […]
Facing a significant projected budget deficit, Idaho lawmakers will have major spending and cutting decisions to make during the upcoming legislative session, Gov. Brad Little said Monday, though he remained seemingly optimistic. Little, during an Idaho AARP telephone town hall, addressed questions regarding education, health care, immigration, and other issues. “There’s going to be some […]
Idaho is asking the federal government for $100 million annually over five years to support rural health care through a grant created in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” Through the major federal tax and spending bill approved by Congress in July, states are entitled to a pool of $25 billion divided equally among each […]
In February 2024, the Idaho Legislature debated a bill that would’ve probably repealed Medicaid expansion. Without the program — which expanded the public assistance program to more low-income earners — John Barnes told lawmakers, “I may not be here.” Only parts of that bill eventually made it into a sweeping Medicaid cost control law that […]
To comply with Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s directive to permanently extend 3% budget cuts, state agencies are planning to cut $88.7 million next fiscal year. As part of those extended cuts for fiscal year 2027, Idaho plans to extend 4% Medicaid provider pay rate cuts for another year. The Idaho Department of Correction also plans […]
Every day for nearly 18 years, Alessandra Fabrello has been a medical caregiver for her son, on top of being his mom. “It is almost impossible to explain what it takes to keep a child alive who should be dead,” said Fabrello, whose son, Ysadore Maklakoff, experienced a rare brain condition called acute necrotizing encephalopathy […]
About a month into the Idaho “DOGE” committee opening its public comment portal, more than 450 comments were submitted with recommendations on improving government efficiency. Many of the submissions center around education, health care, and the committee and legislators. Members of the interim committee — named for the federal Department of Government Efficiency — are […]