Press Release: Attempts to Repeal and Replace Medicaid Expansion Undermine the Will of Utahns

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 18, 2019

Salt Lake City, UT – Conversations among Utah power brokers about replacing Proposition 3, which would enact full Medicaid expansion as allowed under the Affordable Care Act, have been happening for the past couple of weeks. Utahns voted to approve full Medicaid expansion in November, as is their right according to the Utah Constitution. Progressive advocacy and good government group, Alliance for a Better Utah, slammed these proposed attempts by the Legislature to yet again undermine the will of Utahns as tone-deaf scaremongering.

Chase Thomas, Better Utah executive director, issued the following statement:

“A partial expansion of Medicaid is not full Medicaid expansion. Voters approved Proposition 3 in November with the expectation that the state would expand Utah’s Medicaid program to the full extent allowed under the Affordable Care Act, covering tens of thousands of additional Utahns.

“After hearing the Legislature scaremonger about Medicaid expansion’s ‘out-of-control costs’ for years, the voters approved full expansion with a sales tax increase. After seeing subpar partial expansion plans approved year-after-year, the voters approved a full expansion without work requirements or coverage caps. Lawmakers should now honor the will of the people and allow Proposition 3 to go into effect. And if lawmakers need to increase funding to put the expansion into effect, we have hundreds of millions of dollars in surplus funds and should take full advantage of the generous cost-sharing that comes along with full expansion.

“Senator Christensen, Representative Dunnigan, and others have foiled expansion for years despite overwhelming public support. Their scaremongering and subpar proposals should not stand in the way of providing healthcare to tens of thousands of Utahns who will now receive coverage. Lawmakers — heed the voices of your constituents and fully expand Medicaid.”

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Alliance for a Better Utah is a good government advocacy and watchdog organization based in Salt Lake City. The organization works to improve the lives of all Utahns by ensuring balance, transparency, and accountability in Utah politics, policy, and government. More information at www.betterutah.org.

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