State to accept financial help for dental fund

The Utah Department of Health has arranged to accept donations in an attempt to allow vulnerable Medicaid patients to continue to receive emergency dental services after July 1.

"I would reiterate that we've just set up so we can facilitate receiving funds, but we're not soliciting funds," spokesman Cody Craynor said Monday.

Utah lawmakers twice declined to fund the services with $2 million of state money. Last week, an anonymous benefactor pledged $1 million for the services, but only if the funds are matched through additional private donations. Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., whose attempt to secure the additional funding from lawmakers failed last month, has said he will seek donations from business and non-profit organizations.

The governor's office has not yet tallied how much of the matching money has been pledged, Huntsman's spokeswoman, Lisa Roskelley, said. "We don't have a number at this point," she said. "To raise a million dollars, it takes a little bit of time."

Craynor said the health department has verified that the federal Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services will provide matching funds for donated dollars at the usual rate of $70.29 for every $100.

Individuals can send personal donations to the Utah Department of Health, c/o Fiscal Operations, P.O. Box 144002, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4002. Checks should be made out to the "Medicaid Optional Services Account," and Craynor suggests writing "FY2007 services" in the check's memo line to indicate the funds are for dental services in fiscal year 2007 only.