House Majority Leader Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett, is proposing to extend Medicaid coverage to women after giving birth and to expand coverage under the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Brody Aston, a lobbyist, submitted the measure to the House Health and Welfare Committee on Friday morning. Everyone but Rep. John Vander Woude, R-Nampa, voted in support of introducing it.
Medicaid Extension For Children, Postpartum Women
House Bill 122 is sponsored by Rep. Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett, and was drafted in part by the nonprofit organization Idaho Voices for Children, which identified the reforms as legislative priorities in an August report.
When it comes to eligibility for pregnant women and children, Idaho ranks toward the bottom of the country.
According to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, is a low-cost health coverage program for children under the age of 19 whose family income is too high to qualify for Medicaid.
The present income qualifying restrictions are 138% of the federal poverty line, and House Bill 122 would raise that to 205% of the national average for similar programs. 138% of the poverty line is $41,400 for a family of four, whereas 205% is $63,000.
Who Else Might Be Eligible For The Program?
Idaho is one of two states, along with North Dakota, that do not provide coverage to children who are at or over 200% of the poverty line. Local advocates anticipate that the bill will be debated in the Idaho House before the end of February.
According to the most recent Maternal Mortality Review Committee report, the number of Idaho women who died from pregnancy-related complications more than doubled between 2019 and 2020.
All of the deaths were deemed preventable with more information and continuity of care, with six having a good possibility of changing the result with proper monitoring and treatment. Medicaid covered eight of the eleven women or 72%.
Physical disorders like bleeding, sepsis, hypertension, and blood clots are examples of postpartum difficulties, as are mental health conditions such as anxiety and sadness.
As of 2020, the March of Dimes reported that 35% of mothers in Idaho were covered by Medicaid at the time of their child’s birth, with a higher percentage in certain counties, including 44% of births in Canyon County in southwestern Idaho, 53% in Lewis County in northern Idaho, and 61% in Lincoln County in eastern Idaho.
Pregnant women would also be eligible for Medicaid coverage up to 205% of the federal poverty threshold, up from 133% now, and women who have given birth would be eligible for 12 months of care. Idaho is one of 13 states that do not provide coverage beyond 60 days.
According to prior Kaiser Health News reporting, more states are expanding postpartum coverage since the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act permitted states to make the move without qualifying for a waiver.
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