Idaho losses projected under Senate health care bill

By Cameron Rasmusson
Reader Staff

Around 200,000 Idaho residents could lose Medicaid coverage over 10 years should the Graham-Cassidy health care bill become law.

The Spokesman-Review reports two separate studies have conducted an analysis of the bill, named for U.S. senators Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. Washington State also suffers Medicaid losses affecting 650,000 state residents over 10 years. The state could also lose $17 billion in federal funding across the same time period, while Idaho may break even in federal funding.

Studies by the Center For American Progress and Avalere contributed to the conclusions. On the other hand, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office will likely not have time to complete an analysis of the bill due to the voting schedule, which could take place at the end of this month.