Utah Governor Signs Medicaid Expansion Legislation

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert yesterday signed legislation amending the state Medicaid program to expand eligibility to certain low-income individuals. The bill requires the state to submit a waiver request to the federal government by Jan. 1, 2019 to provide Medicaid benefits to eligible individuals earning up to 95% of the federal poverty level, rather than 133% under the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion. The waiver also will seek approval for a 90% federal matching rate, work requirement for certain adults and cap on state funding for the program, among other provisions. The bill repositions current state funds to begin the expansion for an estimated 70,000 Utahns in fiscal year 2020, with additional funding over time to come from a new hospital assessment.