The number of needy clients is outpacing funding, so the Health Department will have to cut about $15 million in services to Medicaid and other low-income medical assistance programs in 1994, according to officials.
The results could impact up to 10,000 Utahns who rely on the programs for health care.Members of the Medical Care Advisory Committee discussed a rough draft of possible cuts Thursday afternoon.
Kent Ronier, Health Department, said the projected number of clients who will need services significantly exceeds the funding approved by the last legislative session.
"We're tyring to balance out too many clients vs. funding," Ronier said. "Something has to be cut."
The Division of Health Care Financing, which administers Medicaid and other low-income medical-assistance programs, believes the cuts must be made by tightening eligibility to exclude some clients and by eliminating services in programs, he said.
Up to 5,000 Utahns could lose services completely; another 5,000 could find services reduced.
Possible cuts include dropping coverage for adults in families that qualify for both Aid to Families with Dependent Children and Medicaid, but choose to use only the medical benefits. The children would still be covered. Adults could also be cut from the Medically Needy program.
Other possibilities include co-payments for clients, lengthening the time someone must be disabled from one year to three in determining program eligibility and eliminated services not directly related to pregnancy for some women.
Optional services like dental, podiatry, physical therapy, psychiatric and home health could also be dropped from the Medically Needy program.
Several people questioned the wisdom of cutting preventive services that could ultimately save money by preventing serious crises. Kevin Likes, MCAC member, said many people will probably end up in the hospital with serious problems and expensive bills because they could not get the assistance at an earlier stage.
J. Winslow, legislative fiscal analyst, pointed out that the proposals eliminate large numbers of people, instead of cutting back on services to "medically expensive adults."
Rod Betit, director of the division who has been named interim Health director to succeed Dr. Suzanne Dandoy, said that many programs, such as transplants, have already been cut.
No firm decisions have been made and the department is still grappling with the best way to make cuts, Betit said. "We can see this particular proposal has some problems and we need to look deeper."