Health

Voices for Utah Children’s Response to CMS Approval of Utah’s Partial Medicaid Expansion

Voices for Utah Children is dismayed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS)’s decision today. While we are encouraged that some Utahns will be able to access needed care, too many Utahns will still be left without health coverage.  

In November of last year, Utah voters passed a plan to close the coverage gap and fully expand Medicaid up to 138% of the federal poverty level, bringing federal tax dollars home to Utah. However, during the 2019 Legislative Session, the Utah Legislature rejected the will of voters and rolled back that plan, including the federal funds that came with it, despite outcries from the public, providers, patients, community leaders and many of its own legislators.

Today CMS chose to approve the Legislature’s more expensive partial Medicaid expansion plan -- a plan that will cost Utah taxpayers more, cover fewer people, impose harmful barriers to care and caps on enrollment for low-income Utahns. This plan creates a dangerous precedent for our Medicaid program and gambles with Utah taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars.

Of particular concern in this waiver:

• It doesn’t add up. The waiver forces Utah to spend more of its own money to provide health coverage to fewer people. Utah will only receive $2.30 in federal funds for every state dollar spent on Medicaid instead of $9.30 in federal funds for every state dollar spent under full Medicaid expansion.

• It’s dangerous. Medicaid is designed to help in times of crisis, allowing states to respond to public health emergencies, natural disasters, and to provide support during economic downturns. Limiting the number of people who can enroll in the Medicaid program could leave many vulnerable Utahns shut out from health coverage when they need it most. 

• It doesn’t work. Research shows that work reporting requirements do nothing to help people find work, but instead create unnecessary red-tape and program complexities that result in hard-working, qualified Utahns losing their health coverage.

CMS’ approval of this partial expansion waiver will leave many unable to access affordable coverage and creates more health care obstacles for both parents and children. When parents’ coverage is in jeopardy, kids’ coverage is also at risk. While Voices for Utah Children is encouraged that some Utahns will get coverage starting on April 1, this plan undermines voter-approved full Medicaid expansion. Utahns deserve better; all Utahns deserve access to affordable health coverage without caps, unnecessary red-tape, and stumbling blocks.

For more information please reach out to Jessie Mandle, the Senior Health Policy Analyst at .

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This Legislative Session, we have heard a lot of thoughtful, important discussion around children’s access to health coverage and care, including needed mental health care. Health insurance helps children connect with affordable care, yet thousands of Utah children are not enrolling in coverage. Utah has the highest rate of kids currently eligible for health insurance, but not enrolled.

Following the Session, Voices for Utah Children will be releasing an in-depth “State of Children’s Care” report that reviews kids’ coverage and care across the state. Here’s a preview look at some reasons why Utah kids are still uninsured…

• Uninsured Parents= kids more likely to be uninsured: Thousands of parents have been left without have health insurance for too long. On April 1^st, parents with incomes between 60-100% of the federal poverty level will be able to enroll in Medicaid coverage. After the passage of Proposition 3 and then Senate Bill 96, there is a lot of confusion among parents around what affordable health care options are still available and the new requirements to getting care. It’s important that up-to-date information is provided to families, so that eligible parents can begin enrolling on April 1^st. Research shows that covering parents helps kids.  
• Keeping kids covered after they enroll: Once kids get enrolled, we need to help them stay covered. Kids can lose coverage because of administrative error, a small change in parents’ income or an employer’s failure to return requested information on behalf of the parent.
• Misinformation and lack of outreach: Many families are confused about what types of affordable options are available to them. Unfortunately, statewide there is a significant lack of outreach funding to help families learn about options and dispel confusion.
• Fear: The federal administration has contributed to a climate of fear that is causing many immigrant families to not enroll, or dis-enroll, their children from Medicaid or CHIP, for fear of reprisal. The majority of children with immigrant parents are eligible for coverage but are not enrolling. We need to counter this climate of fear, create a welcoming environment for new Americans and fight the misinformation of using public benefits.
• Coverage disparities: Utah has one of the highest rates of uninsured Latino/Hispanic children. Alongside fighting the climate of fear for immigrant families, we must also continue to outreach to communities and support families who may not enroll alone.

Unfortunately, as we reported last year, the rate of uninsured Utah children is trending in the wrong direction. For the first time in almost ten years, we saw a troubling rise in the number of uninsured children in our state. Voices for Utah Children is currently working to increase coverage and care for all children with our 100% Kids Coverage Campaign. Let’s work together to help all Utah kids get the coverage and care they need to be healthy and thrive.