Utah Will Expand Medicaid Under Obamacare

[ProSense]

Utah Will Expand Medicaid Under Obamacare

Utah will expand Medicaid under Obamacare, its Republican governor said Thursday.

"Doing nothing ... I’ve taken off the table. Doing nothing is not an option," Gov. Gary Herbert said at his monthly news conference, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

The state legislature has endorsed two plans for expanding Medicaid through private coverage, as Arkansas has already done. Under one plan, Medicaid dollars would pay for people up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level to purchase private insurance on HealthCare.gov. The alternative plan would use Medicaid dollars for people up to the poverty level to buy private coverage on HealthCare.gov; those above the poverty level would receive federal tax subsidies to help purchase insurance through the federal website.

It's not clear which strategy the state will adopt, and Herbert didn't express a preference. Medicaid expansion would cover 60,000 Utahans, according to the Tribune. Utah would be the 26th state, along with Washington, D.C., to accept expansion.

- more -

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/utah-medicaid-expansion

Medicaid Expansion Has Already Cut The Number Of Uninsured West Virginians By A Third
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024366112

[beachbum bob]

1. The Republican governor will be

Crucified... by the GOP extremist who hate Americans and hate all those willing to help.

[ProSense]

3. Quick

"The Republican governor will be Crucified... by the GOP extremist who hate Americans and hate all those willing to help."

...say something teabaggerish:

Utah Guv Takes Swipe At Virginia AG Over Gay Marriage
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/utah-governor-cannot-pick-choose-laws-defend

[upaloopa]

2. All they are doing is giving money to insurance cos.

Medicaid is the payer. It pays directly to the provider for patients who qualify under Federal rules. Those new Medicaid patients under the ACA will have their services paid for 100% of the Medicaid billing rate for procedures and hospital stays. If those dollars are given to people to buy insurance they will not get the same coverage and the provider will not get the same reimbursement. Utah is adding a middle man where none is needed. They basically are giving Federal dollars to insurance companies.
When does the patient get the dollars? Medicaid pays providers when claims are submitted for services.