(Salt Lake City, UT) – During the 2016 Legislative Session a bill was passed providing the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) with funding to expand Medicaid coverage for adults. The bill directed UDOH to develop the criteria for three new eligibility groups of adults without dependent children, in addition to parents and submit a plan to the federal government to modify the current Utah Medicaid program accordingly. UDOH has released a draft of that plan and is accepting public comment on it through June 8.
The state is required to obtain approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) before implementing the proposed plan. Based on funding and approval from CMS, the program is designed to provide Medicaid coverage for the following adults:
• Parents with dependent children earning up to 60 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL)
• Adults without dependent children earning up to five percent of the FPL who are:
o Chronically homeless
o Involved in the justice system through probation, parole, or court-ordered treatment needing substance abuse or mental health treatment
o Needing substance abuse treatment or mental health treatment
The proposed plan is available online at http://health.utah.gov/MedicaidExpansion. At this phase of the waiver development, the public is encouraged to review the proposed plan and provide comment. Comments can be submitted online, by email (medicaidadultexpansion@utah.gov), or individuals can attend a public hearing to provide feedback and learn more about the newly expanded adult eligibility group. UDOH will be hosting the following public hearings before submitting the final waiver to CMS:
Thursday, May 19, 2016
1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Cannon Health Building (288 North 1460 West, Salt Lake City)
Room 125
Call-in Line: 1-800-319-9003, passcode 202989#
[This hearing will be part of the regularly scheduled Medical Care Advisory Committee meeting]
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Cannon Health Building (288 North 1460 West, Salt Lake City)
Room 125
Call-in Line: 1-888-329-8895, passcode 759181#
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Bear River Health Department (655 East 1300 North, Logan)
Rooms 153 & 154
Call-in Line: 1-877-820-7831, passcode 196690#
After collecting and responding to public comments, UDOH will finalize the waiver and submit it to CMS on July 1, 2016. If approved, UDOH expects to begin enrolling new members on January 1, 2017.
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Media Contact:
Kolbi Young
(o) 801-538-6847
(m) 801-231-6350
kolbiyoung@utah.gov
