Idaho’s Medicaid program adds up to a total of $2.06 billion, between state and federal funds, Medicaid division administrator Paul Leary told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee this morning. It takes up 81.4 percent of the Department of Health & Welfare budget. But 96.4 percent of the total Medicaid budget goes to trustee and benefit payments. “These are services provided to our participants by community providers,” Leary said. Only 0.7 percent of the total goes to personnel, and 2.9 percent to operating expenses.

Among those on the Medicaid program, 63 percent are children, but they account for only 19.15 percent of the costs. “A small percentage of the Medicaid population encompasses the largest percentages of our costs,” Leary said.