Senate Bill 1347 Summary

• Repeals the entire Catastrophic Health Care Cost Program (sections 31-3501 through 31-3521 and 31-3550 through 31-3558 of Idaho Code) which provided financial assistance for medically indigent residents and related administrative structures.

• Reduces the ad valorem tax limit for county charities from ten two-hundredths of one percent (.102%) to an amount for nonmedical indigent assistance only, removing references to medically indigent financial assistance.

• Creates the Community Health Center Cost Program with two funding accounts: the Community Health Center Cost Account (up to 70% of 2013 catastrophic health care funds) for prescription medication assistance (up to 50% of cost) and nonemergency medical services (up to $100,000 per patient), and the Community Health Center Creation Account (up to 30% of 2013 catastrophic health care creation funds) to help counties establish new community health centers.

• Restricts Community Health Center Cost Program eligibility to individuals under 65 years of age with income below 100% of the federal poverty level.

• Allows counties to voluntarily contribute to community health centers in amounts equal to their 2013 medically indigent spending, capped at 49% of the county's general fund.