Rating: -1
Bill Summary:
House Bill 368 restructures Idaho’s approach to publicly funded medical education by gradually shifting state investment away from the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) regional medical program toward Idaho-based medical education slots. Beginning in 2026, the state will increase the number of in-state medical education slots by ten per year while decreasing WWAMI participation by the same amount starting in 2027.
Students receiving these publicly funded slots are required to contractually agree to practice medicine in Idaho or repay their tuition subsidies. The State Board of Education is tasked with developing a long-term strategic plan to address the physician shortage, expand clinical rotations and residencies within the state, and consolidate overlapping programs. The bill includes an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.
Reason for Rating:
Although framed as a solution to Idaho’s physician shortage, House Bill 368 significantly expands state control over education and labor. It compels students to accept binding work obligations in exchange for tuition support, creating a state-managed pipeline of medical professionals that undermines free-market principles. It replaces a multistate partnership with a state-centric, government-directed model and authorizes centralized planning that could grow into future bureaucracy. This bill increases government interference in individual career decisions, risks long-term spending expansion, and erodes personal responsibility in educational financing. For these reasons, H0368 is rated at –1.