Low-income Utahns fearing Medicaid cuts

A group of low-income Utahns and a coalition of their advocates spent a good part of Thursday at the Capitol, holding a news conference, handing out letters urging health-care funding and reading the writing on the wall.

"We go through the same thing every year in one way or another," said Ricki Landers of West Valley about annual promises from legislators to expand or at least maintain low-income services. "And there's always some reason — no matter if revenue is up or down — they can't come through. So what I'm saying is we're sad but certainly not surprised. We make sure they get their pay increases and the best health-care coverage. Why can't they do this for us?"

Specifically, they don't want to lose vision and dental as covered services under Medicaid. The Legislature removed them as covered services five years ago, reinstated them a year ago and now appear to be on the verge of cutting them again in the wake of revenue figures that are sharply lower than projected.

The cuts haven't been made, but the group pointed out that doing so has become a habit when the Legislature is looking to save money. Vision and dental together would be about $2.8 million.

The health department has said it could make up some of the difference if administrators are permitted to shift budget items around, but they don't have that kind of money to transfer.

Darla Ball, who is covered by Medicaid insurance and hasn't been able to afford new glasses or see a dentist in five years, said she has no doubt that the first phase of a health-care system reform plan will no doubt get funded. Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. has requested $30 million just to assess the scope of the problem. Even minor fixes done during the session now don't take affect for another year.

Finding a way to help people who haven't had glasses or had their teeth fixed should be part of that reform plan. And that could be done, easily and right now, Ball said.

"There is still a big surplus, just not as big as they were expecting," he said. "This is the most basic care you can have, and it can be the most expensive and most risky if you let your eyes or teeth go."

Landers said the only Medicaid dental work she's had done the past five years are extractions. She has had every tooth on the left side of her jaw removed, one on the right side is infected.