Utah has high rate of uninsured children

Medicaid once again finds itself in a familiar bind — the economy spiraling downward and the state with diminished revenues to pay for the increased demand, Nehring said.

"Increased federal matching funds to the states for Medicaid is of enormous importance," he said. "Utah families are in desperate need for our delegation to step up once again and fight to pass CHIP reauthorization and for a temporary increase in the Medicaid federal match rate."

The CHIP program is scheduled to expire March 31, 2009. As a result, the reauthorization of CHIP — no matter what other general health care reform proposals are being considered — will likely be one of the earliest decisions before the next Congress and President Barack Obama.

The Families USA report is available online at www

.familiesusa.org.

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