SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah State Capitol was filled Thursday with people asking lawmakers to expand Medicaid coverage in the Beehive State.
Senate Bill 77 would expand Medicaid eligibility for lower-income Utahns. Some Utah lawmakers say they hope to close the gap between those who aren’t covered by Medicaid but don’t make enough to get a subsidy on the federal marketplace.
One woman who spoke with FOX 13 said she’s stuck in the gap.
“I really would like to be able to get back into the workforce and take care of myself and my daughter, but if I get a job I’ll make too much and she’ll lose her insulin,” she said. “The math doesn’t compute to go back into the workforce and not be able to keep her alive.”
Rep. Jim Dunnigan, R-District 39 and the House Majority Leader, said the hope is to guarantee coverage for at least 12 months so people can get on their feet and be able to afford coverage or get on an employer’s plan.
