Press Room

Share

House Ignores Idahoans, Approves Devastating Medicaid Repeal Bill

Senate Should Make Clear what House Ignored: HB 138 is Harmful to Idaho’s Future

February 24, 2025

BOISE, Idaho –– Despite the undeniable voices of Idahoans and clear will of voters and advocates testifying against Idaho House Bill 138, the effective repeal of Medicaid expansion moves into senate consideration this week after passing the Idaho House on a thin margin despite bi-partisan opposition.
 
The bill would strip health care from nearly 85,000 hard-working Idahoans and will again face overwhelming community opposition in the Senate. Those opposed to HB 138 include the state residents who voted to initiate Medicaid expansion, business leaders, economists, health care providers, professionals and advocates from across the spectrum of disciplines, including cancer care, children’s and mental health. 

Advocates of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network hope the voices of Idahoans will be listened to in this part of the process as they clearly have already been heard.

The following statement can be attributed in full or part to American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Government Relations Director Randy Johnson:

“At this point lawmakers have heard hours of testimony and read hundreds of written submissions and have not come to the obvious conclusion that Medicaid expansion serves the state well in health, business and economics. Medicaid expansion isn’t just a policy — it’s a lifeline. If this bill is successful, many of our friends and loved ones will face a cruel reality of losing the care they need or facing financial devastation. This bill is not good for Idaho’s future and hopefully the Senate makes that decisively clear and can block out the voices of outside interests and serve their constituents.”
 

More Press Releases AboutAccess to Health Insurance, Increasing and Protecting Access to Medicaid, Idaho

Media Contacts

Shawn O'Neal
Senior Regional Media Advocacy Manager
[email protected]
208-596-1314

Related Press Releases

March 12, 2026

General Assembly Passes Bipartisan Bill to Improve Health Care Transparency and Affordability

The General Assembly has approved Senate Bill 161/House Bill 625, a bipartisan proposal to provide Virginians with the option to choose insurance plans with flat-dollar copays for prescription drugs. This would ensure that health plans do not solely rely on coinsurance models where patients are forced to pay a percentage of their medication’s cost. Leading patient advocacy organizations, including the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) and Blood Cancer United (formerly The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society), applaud Virginia lawmakers for passing this critical legislation to ensure patients have affordable and predictable access to life-saving treatment. It now heads to Governor Spanberger’s desk, where over a dozen organizations across the Commonwealth are urging her signature. 

Read More
March 3, 2026

Annual “Suits and Sneakers” Cancer Action Day Comes to Columbia

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Around 50 cancer survivors, patients and advocates with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) will come from around the state for “Suits and Sneakers” Cancer Action Day at the State House on Wednesday, March 4.

Read more
February 26, 2026

Alabama Senate Sends Bill to Reduce Costs of Breast Cancer Imaging to Governor’s Desk

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama Senate passed House Bill 300 Thursday, which would help patients better afford breast cancer screenings.

Read more