Better UTAH: Utah leaders change Medicaid expansion deadline again

 

Salt Lake City — Together with the rest of Utah, the Alliance for a Better UTAH woke up this morning to the news that the gang of six will miss their self-imposed July 31st deadline again to reach a deal on Medicaid expansion. This is the third time our leaders have failed to keep their deadlines, leaving us all to wonder how long they intend to delay this decision.

In response, Better UTAH founder and Board President, Josh Kanter, issued the following statement:

“This extension puts Utah residents and families in jeopardy. Medicaid has been on the table and debated for six months, yet when given the opportunity to help tens of thousands of Utahns who lack health coverage, our elected officials failed to act for a third time in row. This failure to move forward begs the question of whether the committee truly understands the stakes of this issue.

In this instance, no action comes at the cost of Utah lives. For Jeannette Ryder, an affordable health care option in Utah was the difference between life or death. Sadly, Jeannette passed away this past November from an undiagnosed heart valve infection–had preventative health care been available she may still be with us now. Rep. Dunnigan stated, “It’s nice to have some time go by,” but for 66,000 Utahns in similar situations as Jeannette, more time could mean their lives. This extension endangers Utahns and leaves them uncertain about their future.”

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