In 2016, Utah ranked 39th in the nation for voter turnout. And yet even with the 12th-lowest voter turnout, Utahns voted to pass Medicaid expansion in 2018.
Almost immediately, the Republican-held state government acted to strip the expanded Medicaid of many of its most important features, such as the removal of presumptive eligibility, which would allow people to access medical care while their Medicaid eligibility was still being determined. The Republican’s “Bridge Plan” also includes discriminatory work requirements, a requirement for people to accept employer’s health insurance (regardless of quality or cost) and enrollment caps.
The entire point of expanding Medicaid is to make sure that more Utahns are covered with quality medical insurance, and yet Republicans are actively working to ensure that fewer people get that coverage.
One year ago, Utah voted to pass Medicaid expansion to help those among us who struggle most to access affordable and lifesaving health insurance. The Utah Legislature has until July 2020 to get their waivers approved, but we need to keep the pressure on our local and state officials to support full Medicaid expansion as was voted on in 2018.
Elizabeth Bentley
Salt Lake City