The Idaho Patient Act (IPACT) went into full effect on July 1, 2021. The Idaho Patient Act is only applicable to physician practices that need to pursue extraordinary collection actions (ECA)*. However, during the 2022 legislative session, Idaho Medical Association joined with other health care organizations to successfully author and pass HB 778 which will help practices comply with the Idaho Patient Act. Although the legislation represents a compromise with Melaleuca and isn’t everything the IMA and other health care groups desire, the legislation will ease some of the major burdens on practices as they comply with the Idaho Patient Act. The changes outlined in HB 778 went into effect on March 25, 2022.

Please click the links below for a detailed overview of the changes in HB 778: 

• 2022 Changes to the Idaho Patient Act: What physicians need to know
• Holland and Hart: Idaho Patient Act Changes webinar, 5/19/2022
• Idaho Medical Association, Idaho Hospital Association, Idaho Medical Group Management Association: Idaho Patient Act Changes PowerPoint presentation, 5/19/22
• Idaho Patient Act Timelines following the passage HB 778
• IPACT FAQ

• IMA and Holland & Hart Law IPACT webinar, 7/28/21
• Holland and Hart: Webinar PowerPoint presentation, 7/28/21
• Holland and Hart: Tips for Complying with the Idaho Patient Act webinar, 9/18/2020 *Please note this was prior to passage of HB 42 which delayed certain aspects of the law.

• Proposed changes to the Idaho Patient Act – for updates on the status, please sign up for IMA weekly Legislative Reports.

For further questions about IPACT, please reach out to IMA's Director of Government Affairs Mike Cunnington at cunnington@idmed.org.