This bill updates Idaho Medicaid rules to increase transparency and oversight of payments to healthcare providers, particularly those serving people with disabilities. It establishes specific payment rates based on Medicare equivalents for most services, requires annual cost surveys with audits for residential habilitation providers, and mandates that providers spend allocated funds on direct care worker wages or face potential penalties. The legislation also introduces value-based payment options for certain providers, sets reimbursement percentages for different hospital types, and requires the state to reduce general fund spending on hospital payments by specified amounts. Additionally, it declares certain existing administrative rules null and void as of July 1, 2026, and requires all future provider rate changes to receive legislative approval through the budget process.
This bill establishes new rules for transferring control of public hospital assets in Idaho to nonprofit organizations, requiring state oversight and public input to protect local governance. It mandates that any hospital receiving public district assets must maintain nonprofit status with community representation, provide care for indigent patients, and allow the district to reclaim ownership if the hospital ceases nonprofit operations. The legislation adds transparency requirements by requiring covered hospitals to give 90 days notice to the state attorney general and hold public hearings before any control transfer, with the attorney general having authority to approve, condition, or disapprove such transactions. These provisions apply to hospitals that have received public hospital district assets and aim to ensure continued community access to essential health services while preserving local accountability.
This bill requires health insurance plans in Idaho to cover fertility preservation services for people facing medically necessary cancer treatments that could impair their fertility. It specifically applies to insurance companies, hospital service corporations, managed care organizations, fraternal benefit societies, and health exchanges that offer medical coverage for health conditions, accidents, or sickness. The law defines fertility preservation services as the collection and preservation of sperm, unfertilized eggs, and ovarian tissue, but excludes the storage of unfertilized genetic materials. Coverage is mandated only when the American Society of Clinical Oncology or the American Society for Reproductive Medicine indicates that a cancer treatment may cause impaired fertility, and the procedures must follow established medical practices or professional guidelines. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026.
This bill requires nonprofit hospitals that received assets from public hospital districts in Idaho to maintain ongoing accountability and transparency. It mandates that these hospitals annually publish details about their membership structure, board selection methods, board member information, and any major transactions or potential mergers. The law allows the attorney general to take legal action if a hospital fails to meet these reporting requirements, ensuring public oversight continues even after the original hospital district is dissolved.
This bill appropriates specific funding amounts to Idaho's Medicaid program for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, affecting the Department of Health and Welfare's Division of Medicaid. It allocates money from various state and federal funds to support different Medicaid plans, including Basic, Enhanced, Coordinated, and Expansion plans, as well as administrative costs and hospital assessments. The legislation also reduces certain appropriations from the Hospital Assessment Fund and other sources for these same programs during the covered periods. Once signed into law, the bill directs how these funds will be distributed and spent to cover Medicaid benefits and operational expenses for eligible Idaho residents.
This bill establishes rules for hospitals in Idaho to make temporary Medicaid eligibility decisions for patients who may qualify but haven't completed full applications. It requires hospitals to notify the state within five days of making these determinations and to help patients finish their applications before the temporary coverage ends. The bill creates a performance tracking system where hospitals face mandatory training after two violations and lose their ability to make these determinations after three violations within a year. Hospitals can appeal violation findings, and the state must provide clear written notices explaining any standards they failed to meet.
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 amends Idaho law to include tribal health facilities in the process for emergency detentions of individuals with mental illness. It allows tribal police officers, physicians, or medical staff at tribal health facilities to detain a person without a court order if they are severely disabled due to mental illness or pose an imminent danger to themselves or others. The law requires that such detentions be reviewed by a court within 24 hours, and the person must be held in a medical facility (not a criminal detention unit). This change ensures tribal health facilities can provide the same emergency mental health services as non-tribal hospitals.
H 759 revises Idaho's Medicaid provider payment rules to reduce costs and increase transparency. It sets payment rates at 90% of Medicare rates for most services (up to 100% for primary care), requires annual cost surveys for home-based services with 15% audits, and mandates public reporting of survey results by December 31 each year. The bill directly affects residential habilitation providers, hospitals, and other Medicaid service providers by requiring them to allocate funds to direct care wages and meet spending thresholds. Key mechanisms include new reimbursement rates for hospitals (e.g., 101% for in-state critical access hospitals), a three-year budget reduction target for hospital payments, and nullifying specific administrative rules after 2026.
This bill (H 491) expands legal protection for people who provide emergency first aid without compensation. It ensures individuals offering good-faith first aid - including mental health or suicide crisis support - in accidents or emergencies cannot be sued for civil damages, unless proven grossly negligent. The immunity ends when care is transferred to a hospital, medical professional, or ambulance staff. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies to all Idaho residents receiving such aid.
