The Senate has gone into its 14^th Order for amendments and taken up amendments to HB 644, the “gap” coverage grant program. Sen. Marv Hagedorn, R-Meridian, proposing amendments that would add language similar to that earlier considered on the House side to seek a waiver to expand Idaho’s Medicaid program to provide a managed-care option to serve those who make less than 100 percent of the poverty level.You can read the amendment here.

Sen. Steve Vick, R-Dalton Gardens, spoke out against the amendment. “I can’t find any reason to vote for this amendment," he said. "I think its only purpose is to set us up for Medicaid expansion. So if that’s your goal, then you probably will want to vote for this amendment. But if you don’t support Medicaid expansion, then I think that you should vote against the amendment.”

At that, the Senate went at ease for a fairly lengthy delay. When it returned, Hagedorn told the Senate, “I think it’s important to note that we are not approving or disapproving anything that has to do with Medicaid.”

“What we are doing here is asking for another option that this body can then look at in the next legislative session, to see if that’s something we want to consider,” he said. “That is all we’re doing - setting sideboards around what those negotiations can do, and that the Legislature will be involved in those negotiations,” he said. “I think this is a good amendment. It steps us down the road a little farther to create another option that we can help those in the gap.”

Hagedorn’s amendment then was approved by the Senate on a divided voice vote, with the “aye” votes clearly much greater than the “nay” votes. HB 644 now still must come up for consideration by the Senate as amended.