Blind to Medicaid needs

I was very excited when I learned that the state Legislature decided to fund Medicaid vision benefits this year. Even though they voted to fund these benefits, they did so with a co-pay that the federal government doesn't allow.

These benefits were supposed to go into effect on July 1, but we Medicaid recipients are having to wait because the federal and state government can't agree on a co-pay amount.

In the meantime, I am going to need to get an eye checkup and a new eyeglass prescription pretty soon.

How long do we have to wait? Medicaid vision benefits are supposed to help people become more functional with their disabilities. How can that happen when the state seems to be too disabled to give us the help we need?

Lou Anne Stevenson

Salt Lake City