Lawmakers begin examining Medicaid budget

The Medicaid budget, which makes up 81 percent of the Department of Health & Welfare budget request for next year, is up next; lawmakers will hear presentations and discuss it over the next two hours. The request for next year is for $481 million in state general funds, which would be 24.3 percent of the program; 65.6 percent, or $1.3 billion, would come from federal funds. Of the total $1.9 billion budget from all funds, 96.5 percent would go to benefits; just 0.7 percent to personnel and 2.8 percent to operating costs.

Paul Leary, Medicaid administrator for the state, said Idaho’s staffing for Medicaid has dropped by 8 percent since fiscal year 2009, though the number of people eligible has grown by 25 percent. No additional positions are requested for next year.