In fairness, the federal government calls the shots on Medicaid regulation. The feds have determined that vision and dental care fall outside the Medicaid package. Why? Who can get a job when they can't see? Who can concentrate on their work if they have a dental abscess?

It makes good sense for a legislative committee to undertake a thorough study of the hows and whys of Medicaid in Utah. Perhaps there is a better way to fund programs or manage the loss of federal dollars. But it's highly complex, and it will require the best efforts of lawmakers, legislative staff, affected state agencies and the advocacy community to understand the programs and funding mechanisms.

To give you some idea of what legislators will face, committee members will start their work Wednesday with a slide presentation titled "Making Your Way Through the Medicaid Maze: A Policymakers' Introduction."

It's easy to get caught up in the minutiae of Medicaid regulation. In the end, though, these programs are about helping people, the neediest and most vulnerable among us. The challenge is balancing the human needs against state coffers. It's no simple undertaking.

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Marjorie Cortez, who could not write this column without the aid of her cat-eye computer glasses, is a Deseret Morning News editorial writer. E-mail her at marjorie@desnews.com.