February 3, 2025

St. Luke's Sues Idaho Attorney General to Preserve Emergency Abortion Protections

St. Luke's Health System filed suit against Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador in federal court on January 14th. The suit seeks confirmation from the court that Idaho's abortion ban conflicts with EMTALA and seeks an order enjoining Idaho's law to the extent that it conflicts. Per the complaint:

"The criminal prohibition in Idaho's law contains an exception for when abortion is necessary to prevent the pregnant patient's death, but there is no exception applicable in circumstances where an abortion is necessary to ensure the health of the pregnant patient -- even where the patient faces serious medical jeopardy or permanent impairment or disability. Thus, the mere act of terminating a pregnancy in an emergency scenario could subject a provider to criminal prosecution." (St. Luke's Health Sytem, LTD, v. Raúl Labrador, Attorney General of the State of Idaho, Complaint at 12, United States District Court for the District of Idaho)

The St. Luke's suit seeks to maintain the ability of Idaho physicians to provide emergency care to all pregnant patients in accordance with EMTALA. This narrow relief was originally granted by an injunction from a federal lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2002, which is still pending. However, new DOJ leadership under the Trump administration may drop this suit, leaving Idaho physicians once again in the lurch between disparate interpretations of state and federal law.

Idaho's Maternal Death Rate Sharply Drops, New State Government Report Finds

Newly reassembled after state lawmakers let it expire, Idaho Maternal Mortality Review Committee releases 2023 report

January 30, 2025

By: Kyle Pfannenstiel, Idaho Capital Sun

The rate of Idaho mothers who die while pregnant, or up to a year after giving birth, has sharply declined, an Idaho medical expert panel found in a new report released Thursday.

Compared to Idaho's 2021 maternal death rates, the Idaho Maternal Mortality Review Committee's new 2023 report suggests pregnancy-related deaths decreased by 44.4% and pregnancy-associated deaths decreased by 31.25%. But those statistics are based on only handfuls of maternal deaths reported each year, so differences in even a few deaths reported result in large percentage shifts.

Medical error or denial of care "were not contributing factors in any of the reviewed cases," the report found.

The Biden administration, in a lawsuit filed in 2022, alleges Idaho's abortion ban violated federal law requiring hospitals provide stabilizing medical care to patients experiencing emergencies. But the upcoming change in federal administration could, St. Luke's said in a news release Tuesday, mean the federal government might seek to vacate an injunction allowing emergency abortions and dismiss it's legal complaint. READ MORE

DOPL Forms "Idaho Interprofessional Advisory Committee on Lifestyle Injectables"

In response to a high volume of stakeholder inquiries, the Division of Occupational & Professional Licensure (DOPL) has formed a new committee to provide clarity on licensure and supervisory requirements for safe administration of certain injectable treatments. Injectable treatments to be addressed include but are not limited to: IV hydration; cosmetic neurotoxins and dermal fillers; platelet-rich-plasma (PRP) and GLP-1 agonists.

Committee members were appointed on January 23rd, with terms running through January 31, 2027. The committee, which has yet to convene, is comprised of one member from the Barber and Cosmetology Services Board, two members from the Board of Pharmacy, three members from the Board of Medicine (two physicians and one public member), three members from the Board of Nursing (one APRN and two RNs), and one member from the Board of Dentistry.

IMA will continue to monitor the committee’s activities and keep members apprised of policy statements and other guidance generated by the committee as they become available.

Temporary Telehealth Waivers and Changes in the 2025 Physician Fee Schedule 

On December 21, 2024, President Biden signed HR 10545, as a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the federal government funded through March 31, 2025. This included a section granting temporary telehealth waivers allowing providers to continue delivering services in a variety of locations, but more importantly, for patients to receive services within their homes. This included the following provisions:

• Waiving geographic and specific site requirements
• Maintaining the list of eligible providers
• Continuing to allow Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) to provide services via telehealth
• Delaying the requirement for in-person visits for mental health services taking place without the geographic requirement to be met and taking place in an eligible site such as the home
• Continuing to allow services to be provided via audio-only
• Continue to allow telehealth to be used to conduct the face-to-face encounter recertification for beneficiaries eligible for hospice care
• Extending the acute hospital at home program

The fate of this bill will be decided by Congress before the March deadline. The IMA will be monitoring and update members as we learn more.

If you downloaded the 2025 Idaho Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) before January 10, 2025, you likely have the old version. Section 3206 of the same bill provided an extension of the work geographic index floor to remain at 1.0 through March 31, 2025. This old version of the fee schedule reduced the work value, thus decreasing the overall reimbursement. We would encourage all members to download the new version.

IMA Welcomes New Team Member

IMA is pleased to announce that Kat Kenady has joined the IMA team as Director of Communications. Kat's background in medical society administration and healthcare risk management has fostered a deep appreciation for medical professionals and insight into many of the challenges they face. Kat is passionate about elevating physician voices. Please contact her at kat@idmed.org to share your stories, triumphs, and concerns.

Idaho Science and Technology Policy Fellowship (ISTPF) Call for Fellows

The Idaho Science and Technology Policy Fellowship (ISTPF), a nonpartisan program, is thrilled to announce the sixth call for ISTP fellows. This is an opportunity for outstanding scientists, social scientists and engineers to learn firsthand about policymaking while using their knowledge and skills to address pressing challenges facing Idaho. This year, fellows will have the opportunity to support decision makers in Idaho, serving in yearlong assignments in Idaho's Legislative Services Office. Portfolios include topics such as water, energy, fire, public health, economic development and more.

A doctoral level science or social science degree (e.g., PhD. ScD, MD, DDS, DVM) or a master's in engineering and three years of work experience is required. ISTP fellows are provided with compensation, benefits, orientation, professional development, mentorship, a travel allowance and administrative support.

For more information about the ISTPF and how you can apply, please visit the ISTPF website and application and follow us on LinkedIn. If you have questions about the ISTPF, then please contact us at istpf@idaho.edu.

It's Time To Renew Your IMA Membership!

Why Join IMA?

When you join the Idaho Medical Association, you hire a powerful staff to protect the viability of your practice. By protecting your practice from legal, legislative, and regulatory intrusions, your IMA membership lets you focus on what’s really important: Your Patients. Become a member today and join the IMA Community of over 4,000 Idaho physicians and medical professionals.

* Join the AMA through IMA: Win-Win!  When you join the American Medical Association (AMA) and pay dues through IMA, it generates additional revenue for us. IMA receives commissions from AMA for promoting membership among Idaho physicians. Please submit your AMA membership through the IMA today! If you have any questions about your AMA membership, please email membership@idmed.org.



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