IMA Joins Coalition of State Medical Associations Urging Congress to Protect Medicaid

A coalition of all 50 states and the District of Colombia medical associations, representing hundreds of thousands of physicians and their 80 million Medicaid patients, have united to ask Congress to protect Medicaid from the $880 billion Energy and Commerce Committee spending reduction target in the House Budget Resolution.

The committee has jurisdiction over Medicaid, Medicare, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). A White House Press Release issued March 11 stated unequivocally that the Trump Administration will not cut Medicare or Medicaid benefits, but questions remain as to how this budget reduction will be achieved without doing so. Setting aside Medicare, the Medicaid program accounts for 93% of the funding under the committee's jurisdiction, according to a March 5 analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. An analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that Medicaid accounts for $8.2 trillion out of the total $8.9 non-Medicare spending in the E&C jurisdiction. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson has indicated that the cuts will be accomplished by implementing Medicaid work requirements and eliminating fraud and abuse.

Temporary Restraining Order Granted in St. Luke's EMTALA Suit

As predicted, the Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Trump administration has dropped it's Biden-era lawsuit against the state of Idaho over potential conflicts between EMTALA and Idaho's abortion ban.

St. Luke's Health System, which filed suit in January against the state in anticipation of the DOJ dropping its suit, pled for a temporary restraining order to ensure that abortions provided in emergency situations don't become illegal while the court deliberates. Idaho U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill granted the temporary restraining order, which currently applies to any Idaho provider or hospital subject to EMTALA, and prohibits the Attorney General's office from prosecuting medical providers who provide abortions for patients experiencing medical emergencies.

Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador's office asked that the St. Luke's case be dismissed, arguing that there is no conflict between Idaho's law and EMTALA. The AG's office further requested that the temporary restraining order be narrowed in scope to apply only to St. Luke's.

The temporary restraining order is in effect while Judge Winmill considers the state's motion for dismissal and St. Luke's request for an injunction for the duration of the trial.

A recent JAMA research letter found that states with abortion restrictions enacted after the Dobbs decision lost Ob/Gyn and women's health specialist coverage compared with states where abortion access did not change. The 12 most restrictive states, Idaho included, saw a 4.2% decrease in Ob/Gyn practitioners per 100,000 reproductive-aged females compared with states that maintained stable abortion access, a difference of 3.0 practitioners per 100,000 women.

According to a brief from KFF on the criminal and liability impact of abortion bans, many Ob/Gyns who are concerned about their legal risk are troubled by the "reasonable medical judgment" legal standard used in most states (including Idaho) under which an abortion may qualify for an exception:

This legal standard does not defer to the treating physician's judgment but rather allows a court to review circumstances after the abortion has been completed and rely on the testimony of other medical experts to determine whether the treating physician met the standard. Some anti-abortion advocates, legislators, and state attorneys' general maintain, however, that it is physicians, not the abortion bans, that are responsible for denial and delays of care, and have implied that providers should face medical malpractice lawsuits for not properly following those exceptions.

While physicians are faced with criminal and professional penalties if they provide abortion care for health reasons that are later second-guessed in court, if they do not provide this care or delay it, they could potentially be sued for medical malpractice for failing to provide timely and necessary care.

The Trump administration has not yet indicated whether it also plans to rescind the Biden administration's 2022 guidance that hospitals must render stabilizing care in an emergency, including abortions when necessary, regardless of state bans.

IMA continues to work with legislators and stakeholders throughout the state to restore the full scope of care for pregnant patients facing serious health risks, and to preserve access to care by fostering a practice environment that attracts and retains a strong physician workforce.

Dr. Brian Birch Talks Measles on The Ranch Podcast: "Our Success is Also Our Downfall."

Treasure Valley Pediatrician Brian Birch, MD, was recently featured on The Ranch podcast addressing measles and common questions and concerns from parents regarding the MMR vaccine.

Dr. Birch explains the significant potential health risks related to measles infection and the challenges of growing vaccine hesitancy within the community, noting that the success of MMR vaccines has put many people at a psychological distance from the stark reality of children dying and suffering permanent, severe deficits from the disease prior to availability of a vaccine in 1963.

Dr. Birch provides straightforward information on how the measles vaccine works, components of the vaccine, and common and rare risks and side effects, including addressing the debunked study linking MMR vaccines with autism. The discussion is an important component in addressing parental concerns, putting into context the risk of vaccines versus the risk of the disease, and restoring trust in pediatrician-recommended childhood vaccinations. Click HERE to watch the full episode on Instagram.

The Ranch Podcast, hosted by Eagle resident Matt Todd, is conversational and informative, encompassing a broad spectrum of topics in a non-confrontational format that invites viewers to hear from speakers with varying perspectives on issues impacting the daily lives of Idahoans. Audio-only episodes are available through Apple Podcast and Spotify.

Is Your Provider Capturing Their Work?

Join us on April 9th for this session from the 2025 IMA Education Series  

In this educational session, Nicole Benson, BA, CPC, CPMA, COSC, Audit Manager of Gill Compliance Solutions will address:

• AMA outpatient E/M guidelines and CMS clarifications
• Auditing medical documentation with participant examples
• Educating your providers and delivering audit feedback

Audience: Coders, auditors, providers and staff that review, code, and/or assist in provider coding, education and/or auditing

AAPC-Approved for one hour of CEU credit