2002.02.09:HHS Approves Utah Medicaid Waiver to Extent Health Services

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Saturday, Feb. 9, 2002

Contact:

CMS Press Office
(202) 690-6145

HHS APPROVES UTAH MEDICAID WAIVER TO EXTEND HEALTH SERVICES

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today approved a Utah Medicaid demonstration waiver to expand benefits for primary care and preventive services to about 25,000 residents who otherwise would not have access to health coverage.

The newly covered population will be adults aged 19 and over whose annual incomes are under 150 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). (The FPL is $8,590 for an individual.) The Utah State Children's Health Insurance Program already covers children under age 19 with incomes under 200 percent of poverty.

"Our goal is to give states like Utah the flexibility that they need to strengthen their Medicaid programs and extend health coverage to more American families," Secretary Thompson said. "Through waiver demonstrations and plan amendment like this one, states are expanding eligibility and improving access to quality care for residents who otherwise would not have health insurance."

Utah is able to expand its Medicaid population by adjusting benefits to some individuals already in the program and by instituting an annual $50 enrollment fee for the newly eligible enrollees and others who are eligible for Medicaid at the state's option. Mandatory-eligible beneficiaries will not have an annual enrollment fee.

New enrollees will receive primary and preventive care benefits. Some of the state's currently enrolled Medicaid recipients will receive a benefit package that resembles the state's SCHIP program. The state also will simplify its enrollment process and screen applicants for enrollment in the expansion group to assure they are not already eligible for Medicaid.

In addition to the adults over 19 with incomes at 150 percent of FPL, Utah proposes to provide full Medicaid coverage to 150 high-risk pregnant women each year whose assets are in excess of that currently permitted by the state. These women will be exempt from the enrollment fee and any increased cost-sharing. The state also has exempted others of its most vulnerable members -- children, the elderly, blind, disabled and pregnant women -- from the changes in the benefit package.

Since taking office, Secretary Thompson has worked to improve access to health care through innovative coverage programs in the SCHIP and Medicaid programs. Since January 2001, HHS has approved more than 1,500 SCHIP and Medicaid waivers and plan amendments that have expanded eligibility to about 1.8 million people and enhanced benefits for about 4.5 million people. In August 2001, HHS launched the Health Insurance Flexibility and Accountability Demonstration Initiative to make it simpler and easier for states to coordinate SCHIP and Medicaid plans and to submit waiver requests and to have those requests promptly considered.

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