BOISE — The Idaho House voted 56-14 to cut $34 million from state funding for Medicaid in 2012, with all but one Republican supporting the measure and Democratic lawmakers calling it “tunnel-vision budgeting at its worst.”

Thursday’s bill cuts a total of $108 million from the program, due to lost federal matching funds.

It now goes to the Senate.

Rep. Janice McGeachin said these cuts will help preserve money for public education programs that are also going under the budget knife amid lackluster tax revenues and an anemic economy.

McGeachin highlighted how public input was sought to improve the bill and make changes.

House Minority Leader John Rusche, a Lewiston doctor, argued the bill is “the worst tunnel vision budgeting.” He said ignoring the needs of Medicaid recipients won’t make them vanish.

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