IAFP Policy Priorities
The IAFP works hard to advance policies that support our physician members and their patients. During the 2025 cycle, IAFP is working to support Graduate Medical Education, enhance the physician workforce in Idaho, reduce government interference into the patient-physician relationship, support maternal health, reduce administrative burden, and to protect Idaho Medicaid.
The IAFP works to collaborate with community partners across the state on a variety of topics relevant to family doctors and their patients. Visit our community collaborations page for more details on our collaborative policy and community support work.
Graduate Medical Education
GME Funding
Read our 2025 GME One Pager here and watch our video to learn more about GME Funding.
Treatment of Adolescents
Minor Consent Law
View a detailed webinar on the legal implications of SB 1329 from Smith+Malek
Advocacy handout–Parental Rights in Medical Decision-Making Act
Information courtesy of Kim Stanger, JD–Holland & Hart
Effective July 1, 2024, the Parents’ Rights in Medical Decision-Making Act will generally require healthcare providers to obtain consent from parents for any healthcare services rendered to an unemancipated minor in Idaho. (I.C. § 32-1015). Among other limited exceptions, the Act states:
a health care provider may authorize or furnish a health care service without obtaining the informed consent of the minor child’s parent, if:
(a) A parent of the minor child has given blanket consent authorizing the health care provider to furnish the health care service…
(I.C. § 32-1015(4)(a), emphasis added). The Act does not define or explain the requirements for an effective “blanket consent,” but the underlined language cited above does seem to affirm that, in the case of a blanket consent, the provider is not required to obtain “informed” consent. This is a significant departure from existing Idaho law.
Healthcare providers who fail to obtain sufficiently informed consent may be subject to a lawsuit for lack of informed consent. (See, e.g., Shabinaw v. Brown, 131 Idaho 747, 963 P.2d 1184 (1998)).
In contrast, the new minor consent Act states that a healthcare provider who obtains a blanket consent from the parent may render healthcare services “without obtaining the informed consent of the minor child’s parent…”. Presumably, a blanket consent is one by which a parent prospectively agrees to some range of unspecified care even though they may not have all the information otherwise required for effective informed consent.
The permissible scope of a blanket consent is still not defined, however. One would assume it could cover a wide range of routine primary care services, but the more serious or sensitive the healthcare service, the more likely it is that a parent may claim that they never intended to consent to such. Thus, healthcare providers should be cautious when using blanket consents: the more serious, risky, or controversial the care, the more important it is to obtain specific informed consent.
Until we have more definitive guidance from courts or the legislature, we provide guidelines that may help healthcare providers who intend to use or rely on blanket consents.
We have prepared a sample blanket consent (click here to download), but we cannot guarantee whether an Idaho court would conclude that it is effective under I.C. § 32-1015 or otherwise. Healthcare providers should carefully consider the circumstances and revise or implement any consent process appropriately before simply relying on any blanket consent form.
FAQs: Idaho’s New Parental Consent Law
To view a video webinar explaining this topic click here.
Reproductive Health Policy
Women’s Health
This video was produced in 2023, and includes reference to risks from ectopic pregnancies. Since that time, changes to Idaho’s laws have clarified that abortions are allowed for ectopic and molar pregnancies.
Maternal Mortality
The original Idaho’s Maternal Mortality Review Committee (MMRC) ended in 2023. During the 2024 legislative session HB 399 created a new approach to acquiring information about maternal mortality. The IAFP feels this was a step in the right direction, but that further action is likely needed to ensure the full reinstatement of Idaho’s MMRC.
2021 MMRC Final Report on Maternal Deaths in Idaho
Idaho Maternal and Infant Health Report
Maternal Mortality Review Committee
Healthcare Coverage
Maintenance of Effort
Idaho-Specific Resource to Reduce Coverage Losses
CMS Press Release
Secretary Letter to Governors
Strategies to Prevent Procedural Terminations
All Hands On-Deck Fact Sheet
All Hands On Deck
Unwinding and Returning to Regular Operations after COVID-19
Renew Your Medicaid or CHIP Coverage
Medicaid and CHIP Continuous Enrollment Unwinding: Communications Toolkit
Messaging Toolkit and Preparations for Unwinding for Clinics in Idaho
Idaho Kids Covered Medicaid Protection Unwinding Messaging Toolkit
Key Dates Related to the Medicaid Continuous Enrollment Condition Provisions in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023
50-State Unwinding Tracker