The Idaho Senate approved the budget for the Medicaid program for next year this afternoon on a 29-5 vote; the budget bill, SB 1391, shows just a 3.4 percent increase in state general funds next year, 6.2 percent in total funds. Sen. Dan Schmidt, D-Moscow, a physician who helped craft the budget in the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, said, “Actually I’m pretty proud of it – Medicaid costs have stayed pretty even. They haven’t shot up like private insurance.” Medicaid’s per-member, per-month costs have remained stable, Schmidt said.

There was little debate; Sen. Sheryl Nuxoll, R-Cottonwood, said she would vote against the bill. She was joined by Sens. Vick, Patrick, Nonini and Rice; the bill now moves to the House side.