Lawsuit seeks to overturn Medicaid expansion

The Idaho Freedom Foundation filed a lawsuit with the Idaho Supreme Court Tuesday, seeking to overturn the voter-approved Medicaid expansion initiative.

In the 13-page lawsuit, the conservative group says the initiative is unconstitutional, saying it extends “uncontrolled, unrestricted and unguided discretionary power” to the state Department of Health and Welfare.

The lawsuit could further cloud the issue of Medicaid expansion during the 2019 legislative session. Medicaid figures to be one of the driving budget issues of the session — with possible implications for education funding.

Echoing concerns of the Freedom Foundation, some lawmakers have said the startup costs of expansion could jeopardize funding for K-12, including the fifth year of the career ladder, a $250 million plan to increase teacher salaries.

Medicaid expansion passed on Nov. 6, with 61 percent support.

More on the lawsuit from the Idaho Press.

Kevin Richert

Kevin Richert

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 30 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevinRichert. He can be reached at [email protected]

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