Health Access Assisters to Celebrate Six Months of Partial Medicaid Expansion in Utah and Highlight Outreach Challenges, Slow Enrollment
Media Advisory - September 26, 2019
For Immediate Release | Salt Lake City
This Tuesday, October 1st, marks six months since enrollment opened in Utah's partial Medicaid expansion "bridge plan", and advocates who work on the ground signing people up for health insurance will be holding a press conference marking the occasion.
Date: Tuesday, October 1st, 2019
Time: 11:30 AM
Location:
Utah Health Policy Project
2369 West Orton Circle Suite 20
West Valley City, UT 84119
Take Care Utah, a Utah Health Policy Project initiative, is a network of nonprofit organizations all across Utah focused on helping people navigate the health care system, from enrolling them in insurance to helping them find a doctor. Take Care Utah's health access assisters are a unique asset to the community. They meet people where they are, providing enrollment assistance in libraries, recreation centers, the prison, schools, treatment centers, and more.
Through this broad outreach, we have helped many Utahns enroll in Medicaid expansion coverage and find care, but it is important to note the slower-than-expected enrollment. The Utah Department of Health projected that by December 2020, 70,000 Utahns would be enrolled in Medicaid expansion, and right now enrollment looms at approximately 37,000. This means there are thousands of Utahns who are eligible for Medicaid continuing to go uninsured.
The event will include success stories from the new Medicaid expansion, discuss challenges with outreach and low sign up rates, and will emphasize how crucial it is to continue connecting with Utahns who are eligible but not enrolled.
