Health and Welfare

This bill requires legislative approval for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare to adjust Medicaid payment rates for Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics when their scope of services changes. It establishes a process where clinics must notify the department 60 days before implementing service changes and submit a rate adjustment application after six months of full implementation, requiring a minimum 4.5% cost increase to qualify. The legislation sets specific timelines for department review and allows clinics to appeal final rate decisions, while also repealing certain existing administrative rules effective October 1, 2026.

This bill expands Medicaid eligibility in Idaho to include adults under 65 with incomes at or below 133% of the federal poverty level who currently lack other coverage. It requires the state to submit necessary plan amendments to the federal government within 90 days and ensures eligibility is not delayed while waiting for federal approval. The legislation includes provisions to maintain federal funding levels and requires a review of the program if federal support decreases, while also mandating community engagement requirements by December 2026 before enrollment becomes effective.

Idaho's H 776 requires immediate safety checks for infants under one year old when parents or caregivers have specific risk factors, such as a history of child abuse, a conviction for child injury, terminated parental rights, or a newborn with neonatal abstinence syndrome. Within 12 hours of receiving a report, child protection agencies must verify these risk factors using internal records and public databases, then conduct a full safety assessment. The assessment reviews the caregiver’s compliance with court orders, the child’s living situation, and prior investigations into abuse or neglect in the household. The law explicitly states it does not presume abuse based solely on medical conditions and allows for urgent action if verification takes too long.

This bill requires all infants and newborns in Idaho to be screened for hearing loss before leaving a hospital, health care facility, or birthing facility. For births outside these settings, screening must occur within 21 days of birth. The screening must use approved methods (like otoacoustic emissions) and results must be reported to the Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and Blind (IESDB) within seven days. The law is contingent on maintaining federal funding for these screenings, and would not take effect if federal support ends and state costs increase.

This bill updates Idaho state procurement rules to allow agencies to join cooperative purchasing groups, sponsor joint buying agreements with other public agencies, or use existing contracts from other state agencies when they meet competitive bidding standards. The legislation requires these arrangements to be documented in written agreements and ensures participation fees are applied fairly across all members of any purchasing organization. It also permits contract modifications if the state administrator determines they serve the state's best interests, while maintaining records of these agreements with relevant state divisions. The bill aims to reduce administrative burdens and potentially lower costs by streamlining how the state acquires goods and services through shared purchasing power.