FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 26, 2019
Contact:
Stacy Stanford
801-718-6130
SALT LAKE-- According to breaking
Washington Post reporting
, the Utah Medicaid waiver, based on SB96, will not be approved. SB96 was passed during the 2019 legislative session to repeal and replace Proposition 3, a voter approved initiative to fully expand Medicaid. SB96 sought to expand Medicaid through a waiver seeking full matching funds for a partial expansion—a proposal that has never been granted. But, in case of a wavier denial, Utah leaders included a backup plan—to fully expand Medicaid with some fiscal sustainability adjustments. The SB96 backup plan is in line with the spirit of what Utah voters approved last November.
“Without the 90/10 match for a partial expansion, the Utah waiver is dead in the water. It’s time to implement Proposition 3 as approved by Utah voters and as directed by SB96. SB96 says if there is no wavier approval, then the state will go back to Proposition 3 with some fiscal adjustments that ensure sufficient long-term funding," said Matt Slonaker, executive director. “All of the sudden this is really simple: Utah should just pull the waiver and avoid a drawn out process.”
"The longer Utah waits to fully expand Medicaid, the more people are left out with no access to necessary care. There are thousands of low-income Utahns with no options right now, and others who are eligible but confused by the repeal-and-replace efforts. It is now even more clear that it is time for Utah to finally do the right thing and respect the will of the voters by implementing a full Medicaid expansion," said Stacy Stanford, health policy analyst.
