A voter-approved proposition to expand Medicaid in Utah may be scaled back after state lawmakers approved a Republican bill that would unwind parts of the expansion, according to The Hill.
In November 2018, about 53 percent of Utah voters approved Proposition 3. The proposition aimed to expand Medicaid to residents making up to 138 percent of the poverty line. About 150,000 residents would have gained coverage under the proposition.
In the legislation passed by the House Feb. 8, Medicaid expansion would be drawn back to people who make up to 100 percent of the poverty line, insuring about 50,000 fewer residents. While Republicans argue the state's most impoverished residents would still have coverage and healthcare costs would be lower, activists are concerned the legislation would curtail healthcare access and supplant voter will.
Under the bill, residents who earn more than the revised rate would be allowed to buy subsidized insurance on the federal exchanges. The legislation also includes work requirements and spending limits. The plan requires a federal waiver, according to The Hill.
More articles on payers:
Payer-provider partnerships and market trends
9 'Best in KLAS' value-based care consultants
Companies like LexisNexis are selling patient 'risk scores' to hospitals, insurers