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Jed Boal ReportingThe Utah Legislature faces a Wednesday night deadline to finish its work. Legislators will decide how to allocate 78-million dollars in ongoing money and more than a half-billion dollars in a one-time surplus.
Legislators will divvy up tens of millions of dollars in the next few days and it is not enough to cover the requests. So, Medicaid recipients and their advocates took their battle to the Capitol.
A quarter-million Utahns receive Medicaid benefits. Today, a handful and their advocates pushed for funding in a surplus year.
Cheryl Law, Medicaid Recipient: "If we don't stand up for our rights, we're going to lose them"
Cheryl Law has been a Medicaid recipient for eight years. Dental and vision coverage are critical for her, she needs coverage to complete work on dentures.
Cheryl Law, Medicaid Recipient: "I can't get a job being toothless. It's very important to me to get my dentures remade. Without medicaid, I can't do that."
The federal government cut 30-million dollars of Medicaid money to Utah so the state is feeling the pain.
Judi Hilman, Voices for Utah Children: "We've got a surplus, this is the time to invest in medicaid and healthcare services that would otherwise be more expensive if we don't invest up front."
Advocates total $11-15 million in unfunded Medicaid requests. At the top of the list are vision and dental and provider reimbursement rates for doctors and dentists. To Medicaid supporters, preventive medicine is not that different than preventive maintenance for state infrastructure.
Dr. Tom Metcalf, Pediatrician: "The idea of preventive care is just paramount for safety and traffic, but also health and dental issues."
Rep. Steven Mascaro sponsors a bill to increase the reimbursement rate for dentists and doctors caring for kids; he fears health care will suffer.
Rep. Steven Mascaro, (R) West Jordan: "Despite the wishes of our constituency, we seem to be giving it back in tax cuts, rather than using for human services that we have been waiting for this money to come along for."
It's a skirmish for money at the Capitol with legislators trying to get their bills funded. We'll know where the money goes by Wednesday.
