Idaho Freedom Foundation says ‘stay tuned’ for a new effort to fight Medicaid expansion

Nov. 07--The main group opposed to Idaho Medicaid expansion says it will mount a new challenge against Proposition 2, which passed Tuesday with about 60 percent of the vote.

"Tuesday's vote was not the last word on the subject," Idaho Freedom Foundation President Wayne Hoffman said in a press release Wednesday. "In addition to being terrible public policy, Proposition 2 is poorly worded and likely unconstitutional. We will soon announce our next steps to protect Idaho taxpayers and future generations of Americans by preventing Proposition 2 from taking effect."

The statement did not specify the group's plan -- whether it intends a court challenge on constitutional grounds, or some other action.

Reached on the phone Wednesday, Dustin Hurst, IFF's communications director, said to "stay tuned" for details.

"This isn't over," Hurst said.

The group later pointed to an op-ed article Hoffman wrote in September. The article argues Proposition 2 is worded in such a way that it cedes control to the federal government and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. That's unconstitutional, Hoffman writes.

About 365,000 people in Idaho -- about 60.6 percent of those casting ballots -- voted in favor of Proposition 2 on Tuesday. The proposition allows people who make less than 138 percent of poverty-level income to qualify for Medicaid health insurance coverage, even if they don't have children or a disability.

The wording on the ballots: "Relating to Medicaid; amending chapter 2, title 56, Idaho code, by the addition of a new section 56-267, Idaho code, to provide that the state shall amend its state plan to expand Medicaid eligibility to certain persons and to provide that the Department of Health and Welfare is required and authorized to take all actions necessary to implement the provisions of this section; and amending section 56-262, Idaho code, to provide a correct code reference."

The measure's full wording, including the new text to be added to state law, can be found at this link.

Audrey Dutton: (208) 377-6448, @audreydutton

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