House

Bill 644
2016 Freedom Index Score (-4)
Analyst: Wayne Hoffman
Date: March 23, 2016

ANALYSTS NOTE: House Bill 644 will create a health-care grant program for people who are at or below
100 percent of the federal poverty level and who are not enrolled in government health-care programs.
One purpose of the bill is to create a report that will identify the number of low income individuals who
are not covered by insurance and their illnesses, diseases and treatments. Additionally, this bill will
provide a grant to underwrite outreach efforts and the provision of health care for Idahoans.

Point No. 1: Does it create, expand, or enlarge any agency, board, program, function, or activity of
government? Conversely, does it eliminate or curtail the size or scope of government?

ANALYSIS: House Bill 644 will create a new health-care grant program administered by the Idaho
Department of Health and Welfare. (-1)

Point No. 3: Does it give government any new, additional, or expanded power to prohibit, restrict, or
regulate activities in the free market? Conversely, does it eliminate or reduce government intervention in
the market?

ANALYSIS: House Bill 644, through its distribution of grants, will require that grantees provide a
superficial sliding scale of fee services to patients. In doing so, the state will be regulating
marketplace activities. (-1) Additionally, the bill places a reporting requirement on the network of
federally-qualified health clinics. Because it is a federally-qualified health clinic the state should
not have any intervention or interference with the federal reporting requirements. (-1)

Point No. 7: Does it increase government spending (for objectionable purposes) or debt? Conversely, does
it decrease government spending or debt?

ANALYSIS: The grant will cost the state $400,000 for the data collection with an additional $5
million for each of fiscal years 2017 and 2018. The monies will come from the millennium fund, to
conduct additional outreach by, and underwrite health care provided through, the network. (-1)