States findings of the Legislature and calls on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to review and expeditiously approve pending Medicaid waivers.
Summary
House Joint Memorial 7 is a nonbinding memorial from the Idaho Legislature to Congress, the Idaho congressional delegation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the President. It reaffirms Idaho’s support for the Medicaid expansion framework adopted after the 2018 ballot measure and the 2019 legislation that added qualifying restrictions to the expansion program. The memorial specifically references the state’s pending waiver requests to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for provisions related to family planning, substance use treatment, work or educational requirements, and a requirement that some newly eligible recipients first seek coverage through the state insurance exchange.
The memorial urges HHS to review and expeditiously approve those waiver requests, which Idaho says were submitted in 2019 and remain unresolved. It also states that the lack of a federal response is inconsistent with the spirit of the Tenth Amendment. Because it is a joint memorial rather than a bill, it does not itself change Idaho statutes or Medicaid rules; instead, it expresses the Legislature’s position and seeks federal action on pending administrative approvals.
Impact
HJM007 does not amend Idaho law or create new state program requirements. Its legal effect is limited to a formal legislative statement and a request for federal review of existing Medicaid waiver applications tied to Chapter 318, Laws of 2019. The memorial’s practical impact is to reinforce Idaho’s policy preferences for administering Medicaid expansion and to pressure HHS/CMS to act on waivers affecting eligibility and program conditions for Medicaid recipients.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment is supportive of Idaho’s Medicaid expansion framework as modified by the 2019 restrictions, with the Legislature expressing frustration that the federal government has not yet acted on the waiver requests. The tone is assertive and critical of federal inaction, while still framed as a respectful request to federal officials. No committee debate or recorded votes were provided, so the available record suggests broad institutional support from the bill’s sponsor committee but does not show detailed opposition or amendment activity.
Contention
The main point of contention is the pending federal waiver approval process, especially for work or educational requirements, family planning-related restrictions, substance use treatment provisions, and the exchange-first approach for some enrollees. Supporters view these waivers as necessary to implement Idaho’s Medicaid expansion in a cost-effective way and to honor the 2018 ballot measure and 2019 legislation. The memorial also raises a constitutional and federalism argument by suggesting that the lack of response violates the spirit of the Tenth Amendment, indicating tension between state policy control and federal oversight of Medicaid.