Idaho Lawmakers Advance Prior Authorization Reform Bills
The Idaho Health Insurers Working Group, an interim legislative committee, voted to develop a package of bills addressing prior authorization reform and other health insurance issues for the 2027 legislative session. Other proposed bills would set standards to reduce delayed provider payments, establish uniform provider credentialing standards across insurers, and require the Idaho Department of Insurance to collect and report data on payment timeliness and denial rates. The effort follows a prior failed attempt, House Bill 611, and stems partly from a contract dispute between a hospital and the state employee health plan's insurer. The committee's work comes as Idaho plans to transition its Medicaid program from state administration to management by private health insurers.