Idaho Lawmakers Struggle to Reinstate Medicaid Program Cut 'By Accident'

A bill to temporarily restore the Healthy Connections program faces funding challenges in a tight budget year.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Some Idaho lawmakers say the state Legislature accidentally cut a Medicaid program last year that helped patients avoid unnecessary emergency room visits. A new bill to temporarily reinstate the Healthy Connections program is stalling, with lawmakers citing budget constraints as the main obstacle.

Why it matters

The Healthy Connections program was meant to help contain Medicaid costs by providing 24/7 access to doctors for health consultations. Its elimination has led some pediatric clinics to consider limiting or stopping their acceptance of Medicaid patients altogether, raising concerns about access to care for low-income Idahoans.

The details

The Healthy Connections program was cut as part of a broader Medicaid cost-cutting bill passed by the Idaho Legislature last year. The program paid some doctor's offices to be available around the clock to consult with patients about health issues, in an effort to prevent unnecessary emergency room visits. A draft bill has been introduced to temporarily reinstate the program until 2029, when the state plans to fully shift to private Medicaid management. However, the bill is facing resistance from lawmakers on the budget committee, who say there is no funding available to restore the program this year.

  • The Healthy Connections program was eliminated in January 2026 as part of the Medicaid cost-cutting bill passed in 2025.
  • A draft bill to reinstate the program was circulated in August 2026.

The players

Sen. Brandon Shippy

A Republican from New Plymouth, Idaho, who introduced the bill to temporarily reinstate the Healthy Connections program.

Brian Parsons

Vice chair of the Bannock County Republican Party, whose wife is a pediatrician in Pocatello. Parsons is working with Shippy on the bill to reinstate the program.

Sen. Julie VanOrden

A Pingree Republican who chairs the Senate Health and Welfare Committee. She says she needs assurance from the Legislature's budget committee on how to fund the program before the bill can be introduced.

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What they’re saying

“I don't know that there's going to be the heart there to do it. I think it would be the wise and prudent thing for us to fund and to reinstate this year, and it may be even a case for tapping into rainy day funds.”

— Sen. Brandon Shippy, Republican from New Plymouth (Idaho Capital Sun)

“This is the cost containment tool the state of Idaho gave to primary care to keep Medicaid … the budget from blowing up.”

— Brian Parsons, Vice chair, Bannock County Republican Party (Idaho Capital Sun)

“With budget cuts right now, I don't see one.”

— Sen. Julie VanOrden, Chair, Senate Health and Welfare Committee (Idaho Capital Sun)

What’s next

The draft bill to reinstate the Healthy Connections program will need to clear the Legislature's budget committee before it can be formally introduced.

The takeaway

The elimination of the Healthy Connections program, which some lawmakers now say was an 'accident', highlights the challenges Idaho faces in balancing Medicaid costs and ensuring access to care for low-income residents. The stalled effort to reinstate the program underscores the difficult budget decisions facing state lawmakers.