AOTA, state associations respond to Medicaid concerns in Idaho and Washington

When President Trump signed H.R. 1 (commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) into law last summer, it signaled a dramatic shift in how the federal government and state governments partner to support social safety net programs— in particular Medicaid. Established in 1965, Medicaid is a health insurance program that provides coverage for low‑income individuals and is jointly funded by state governments and matching federal funds. H.R. 1 codified into law two major provisions that impact the states: (1) over a period of several years, it reduces states’ ability to draw matching funds to support their Medicaid programs, and (2) it increases the administrative burdens that fall on states to run their Medicaid programs by implementing community engagement requirements and more frequent eligibility checks.