Senate passes measure to let disabled work, keep Medicaid

BOISE – At the ardent urging of two North Idaho senators, the Senate on Wednesday passed legislation to allow disabled Idahoans to work without losing their medical care.

Though opponents argued that the state budget can’t afford the $400,000-plus to start the new Medicaid buy-in program, Sen. Shawn Keough, R-Sandpoint, said it would save money in the long run.

“The decision before us today is, do we provide these individuals an incentive to go out and work and increase their productivity, or do we provide a disincentive and keep them trapped and keep them on the system?” Keough said.

Sen. Dick Compton, R-Coeur d’Alene, the Senate Health and Welfare chairman, told the Senate that the state has been trying to start the program since 1996 but never seemed to be able to come up with the money.

“If not now, when? And if not us, who?” Compton asked.

Under a buy-in program, people with disabilities could work or increase their earnings without losing needed Medicaid coverage by paying premiums on a sliding scale.

The bill, SB 1143, passed the Senate on a 19-15 vote and now goes to the House.