In 2018, Idahoans voted to expand access to affordable, quality health care. Since then, thousands of state residents have the peace of mind that comes with being able to get the care they need, when they need it. The stories that follow show the transformative and lifesaving impact Medicaid expansion has had for our friends, neighbors, and communities in recent years. Through the tumultuous height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Idahoans could rely on stable health care when it was most needed.
Everyday Idahoans are relying on their lawmakers to protect Medicaid expansion.
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Who does Medicaid expansion help?
Medicaid expansion helps parents, farmers, near retirees, small business employees, and Idahoans who work at jobs that don’t offer healthcare or who simply can’t afford it. They earn too much currently to qualify for Medicaid, but not enough to afford care on their own.
Medicaid expansion will help hardworking Idaho families who are slipping through the cracks in our healthcare system and rural residents who already have to drive long distances for emergency care. Medicaid expansion will help keep rural hospitals open for when an emergency strikes and ensure that all Idaho families have access to emergency care — regardless of where they live.
Medicaid Expansion and Cancer
Medicaid expansion promotes earlier cancer detection, fewer deaths and improved outcomes for patients.
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Medicaid expansion is associated with improved rates of colorectal, prostate, and cervical cancer screenings.
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Individuals enrolled in Medicaid prior to their cancer diagnosis have better survival rates than those who enroll after their diagnosis.
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Medicaid expansion has led to an increase in both total and earlier-stage cancer diagnoses in expansion states, while the gap in diagnoses between expansion and non-expansion states has widened.
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Medicaid expansion has been associated with decreased cigarette and other tobacco product purchases, as well as increased access, utilization, and coverage of evidence-based smoking cessation medications.
Protect Medicaid Expansion in Idaho
Expansion provides health coverage to individuals and families who otherwise fall into the coverage gap - those earning too much to qualify for traditional Medicaid, but not enough to qualify for subsidies on the Marketplace.