Idaho Medicaid Facts:

Medicaid is health insurance available only to the  lowest-income families, people with disabilities, and seniors. Medicaid provides access to essential medial, dental, and mental health services. It ensures children can go to the doctor when they are sick and pregnant women can get prenatal checkups. Medicaid increases positive health outcomes, helping children to be healthy to go to school, parents to work, and Idahoans to be  contributing members in our communities – without fear of choosing  between health and groceries or paying rent. 

• Different populations have different costs based on health needs. 

  • Children make up over half of the population and covers all foster children.

  • Seniors and adults with disabilities make up most of the costs. 

  • 1 in 3 Idahoans on Medicaid expansion has a serious mental illness and is the largest payer of behavioral health in Idaho.

• 95.5% of Medicaid dollars go directly to pay health providers. 

In 2018, Idaho voters supported expanding Medicaid to include Idaho’s  lowest income adults with 61% of the vote. In a 2023 statewide poll of Idaho voters, results showed strong support for Medicaid across party  lines and showed that positive  public opinion has only grown since the implementation of Medicaid expansion.