Sen. Dan Schmidt, D-Moscow, told the Senate Health & Welfare Committee today that he’d like the panel, at this point, to consider both SB 1204 and SB 1205, the two Medicaid expansion bills, together. “I’m very thankful, Mr. Chairman, committee members, that we can have this discussion today,” Schmidt said. “That’s my goal for this meeting, that we have a discussion, that your concerns about this public policy choice be addressed, and that we can have an open and frank conversation.”

Schmidt said the bills are essentially the recommendations from Gov. Butch Otter’s latest task force on Medicaid redesign, and from his first task force on the subject, but with updated fiscal notes.