Background

Definition: 

Affordable Care Act: “a US law aimed at reforming the American health care system. Obamacare's main focus is on providing more Americans with access to affordable health insurance, improving the quality of health care and health insurance, regulating the health insurance industry, and reducing health care spending in the US" (What is Obamacare and What is Health Care Reform). 

Obamacare: "Obamacare is the unofficial name for The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which was signed into law on March 23, 2010. Obamacare's health care reform does a number of important things including offering Americans a number of new benefits, rights, and protections in regards to their healthcare and setting up a Health Insurance Marketplace where Americans can purchase federally regulated and subsidized health insurance" (What is Obamacare and What is Health Care Reform).

The Affordable Care Act celebrated it’s fourth birthday Sunday, March 23.

Timeline:

The Senate health care bill was signed by President Barack Obama making it a law. As he did that, “13 Republican state attorneys general filed a federal lawsuit against the overhaul” (Volsky, 2014).

September 23, 2010: Since this date, insurance companies cannot reject coverage of children with preexisting conditions. Also, it allows adults to stay on their parents’ health insurance until age 26 (Washington Post, 2013).

December 19, 2012: Obama said that implementing well would be the “most important thing in his presidency” (Washington Post, 2013).

October 1, 2013: HealthCare.gov marketplace was launched allowing people to sign up for health care online. The site did crash and has since been restored (Washington Post, 2013).

January 1, 2014: Coverage for millions of Americans began (HealthCare.gov).

March 31: "Open enrollment closes” (HealthCare.gov).

Where does Utah fall in all of this?

The U.S. Supreme court ruled June 28, 2012 that the federal government could not takeaway funding for Medicaid from states who "refuse to comply with an expansion of Medicaid" (Wicker 2012). Utah fit into that category.

The state has taken two years to decide what do do about the 60,000 Utahns who fall into the Medicaid gap.

There are currently three proposed health care plans in Utah. The House, Senate and Governor all are presenting separate plans.

The House’s Plan:

The House plan is being presented by Speaker of the House Becky Lockhart as House Bill 401. The reform by only using state dollars to cover the Medicaid gap.

The Senate’s Plan:

Senate Bill 251, which is sponsored by Sen. Brian Shiozowa, is a partial expansion and private-option plan. This means it would subsidize health care coverage through employer-sponsored insurance, private insurance and Medicaid Accountable Care Organizations.

The proposed bill would cover anybody who is under the poverty level which means any individual making less than $11,500 per year. By 2020, it is estimated to cover 54,000 Utahns.

Under this plan, Utah would have to ask the federal government to help cover 90 percent of the cost, while the state would cover the rest. This is opposed to the current system in which the national government covers 70 percent of Medicaid.

However, the Utah Health Policy Project, which supports the governor’s bill, is fearful that the federal government would pull it's funding down the road.

Governor’s Plan:

Gov. Gary Herbert is proposing a plan called “Healthy Utah.” Through that plan, those who qualify can choose their own private insurance plan and the state will subsidize insurance premiums.

Anyone who makes less than $15,500 per year could qualify. By 2020, the plan would cover 111,000 Utahns.

Herbert’s plan would be fully funded by the federal government though a $258 million block grant. The state wouldn’t spend any money for this plan.

We’ve introduced our proposal which we think is very common-sensible, designed to recognize that we send $680 million dollars back to Washington D.C. from the Utah taxpayer to pay for health care,” Herbert said at a recent press conference.   

The governor could call a special session this summer to resolve the medicaid gap in Utah.

* Copyright disclaimer: This project is for educational purposes only.