WHERE WE STAND NOW

by Paul Gibbs

With Gov. Gary Herbert's announcement that negotiations with the federal government are essentially complete and there will be no special session, we now know that Healthy Utah will be on the table in the 2015 general legislative session. And we have word that members of the healthcare reform task force are planning to propose an alternative plan which would only cover a fraction of what Healthy Utah would. Realistically, full ACA Medicaid expansion isn't on the table. There is a better chance of Dwayne Johnson winning an Oscar than there is of the full expansion getting the approval of our legislature. To put it the only way I can, that sucks. But that's the way it is. The choice isn't between Healthy Utah and the best, it's between Healthy Utah and the worst.

What we're hearing some of the legislators want to do is present a plan that covers only the "medically frail", which is a small fraction of those in the gap. The legislature is right in thinking that these are the people most in need. They're wrong in thinking this will be an adequate solution. This ignores that many are unable to even get diagnosed as medically frail without coverage to see a doctor. It ignores the fact that that keeping people from getting preventative care will just cause more people to become medical frail. And it ignores those who work but and can't afford coverage but don't fall into the medically frail category. I give the legislators credit for agreeing the medically frail need coverage. It shows more compassion than I've sometimes given them credit for. But it's not enough, and it isn't likely to accomplish much in terms of keeping costs down, especially because it will mean getting less federal funding, or none at all.

Here's where we come in: the process of the waiver for Healthy Utah requires a 30 Day "Public Comment Period". I've been relentlessly pushing everyone to contact legislators since March, but during this 30 day period we have to go nuts with it. It goes without saying that I plan to take a very active role in this, but I'll say it anyway. I'll be launching a new element of the Entitled to Life campaign aimed at demonstrating the support of as wide a variety of average Utahns as possible. I'm going to need absolutely anyone who is willing to help me with that (though I won't be asking much of you).  We need to make enough noise that even the Sutherland Institute can't pretend we don't want this. If we make the legislature feel enough pressure, they WILL pass this. This will be our time to make a difference in the lives and health of tens of thousands of people, and we cannot pass it up or let it get away. There's too much at stake. Simple actions and just a tiny bit of courage will be enough.