With the arrival of fall our priorities for the 2026 session are starting to come into focus

As we head into fall we are focused on two issue:

State Legislative Joint Finance & Appropriations Committee will be holding fall budget meetings. We are watching state agencies adjust to the Governor’s request for 3% reduced spending in the current fiscal year. This includes cuts in Health & Welfare budgets like Medicaid. We are also seeing provider payment reductions being implemented. Governor Little has also asked that these reductions be extended through 2027, as the state continues to see state revenue coming in under budget projections.

These budget cuts, along with legislation passed at the state and federal levels, will make significant changes to Medicaid and Medicaid Expansion programs. We are continuing our work with partners, legislators, and state agencies to navigate these challenges to protect Medicaid Expansion and prepare to fight legislation to repeal Medicaid Expansion in the 2026 Legislative Session.

Additionally, we’re continuing our work to move Cardiac Emergency Response Plans legislation forward, and aligning it with our efforts to support telecommunicator CPR as Emergency Medical Services transitions to the Idaho Military Division for coordinated emergency response and system updates. We continue to look for stories and experiences that demonstrate the need for these programs to share with Legislators as we move toward session.