2 state agencies are consolidated

Utahns with hopes of receiving Medicaid now need to apply to only one state agency to determine eligibility.

While both the Utah Department of Health and the Utah Department of Workforce Services employed eligibility workers in the past, now more than 250 UDOH eligibility workers are consolidated into the DWS. This took place under a proposal presented by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. that was approved by the 2007 Utah Legislature.

Before the change, UDOH handled medical cases, while services such as food stamps and financial assistance were taken in by DWS.

The two departments created a joint planning team that began working on the consolidation in January. Under the plan, UDOH will continue to make Medicaid policies. The plan supports maintaining staffing of positions based in and supported by health care facilities and specialized long-term care facilities.

For a list of Medicaid eligibility sites, visit jobs.utah.gov/jsp/officesearch.