Signed by Governor Gary Herbert

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

A vote to pass a bill that expands Medicaid eligibility.

Highlights:

• Defines “CMS” as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the United States Department of Health and Human Services (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Department of Health to continue to seek approval from CMS to implement the Medicaid waiver expansion (Sec. 1).

• Requires the department to expand the Medicaid program if the department receives approval from CMS to (Sec. 1):

• Expand Medicaid Coverage to eligible individuals whose income is below 95 percent of the federal poverty level;

• Obtain maximum federal financial participation for enrolling an individual in the Medicaid expansion; and

• Permit the state to close enrollment in the medicaid expansion if the department has insufficient funds to provide services to new enrollment under the the medicaid expansion.   

• Requires the department to expand the Medicaid program if the department also pays the state portion of costs for the medicaid expansion with funds from (Sec. 1):

• The Medicaid Expansion Fund;

• County contributions to the nonfederal share of medicaid expenditures; or

• Any other contributions, funds, or transfers from a non state agency for Medicaid expenditure.

• Authorizes the department to reduce or eliminate optional Medicaid services if the costs of the Medicaid expansion exceed the funds available (Sec. 1).

• Requires the department to deposit savings into the Medicaid Expansion Fund if the costs of the Medicaid expansion exceed the funds available (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the department to submit to CMS a request for waivers, or an amendment of existing waivers, from federal law necessary to implement budget controls with the Medicaid program to address the deficiency, if the costs of the Medicaid expansion exceed the funds available (Sec. 1).

• Requires the governor to direct the Department of Health, Department of Human Services, and Department of Workforce Services to reduce commitments and expenditures by an amount sufficient to offset the deficiency if the costs of the Medicaid expansion are projected by the department to exceed the funds available in the current fiscal year, including the savings resulting from any action taken in the previously (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Division of Finance to reduce allotments to the Department of Health, Department of Human Services, and Department of Workforce Services by a percentage proportionate to the amount of the deficiency and up to 10 percent of each agency’s total current fiscal year General Fund appropriations, if the costs of the Medicaid expansion are projected by the department to exceed the funds available in the current fiscal year, including the savings resulting from any action taken in the previously  (Sec. 1).

• Requires the department to report to the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee on or before November 1 of each year that a Medicaid expansion is operational the following (Sec. 1):

• The number of individuals who enrolled in the Medicaid expansion;

• Costs to the state for the Medicaid expansion;

• Estimated costs to the state for the Medicaid expansion for the current and following fiscal years; and

• Recommendations to control costs of the Medicaid expansion.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

A vote to pass a bill that expands Medicaid eligibility.

Highlights:

• Defines “CMS” as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the United States Department of Health and Human Services (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Department of Health to continue to seek approval from CMS to implement the Medicaid waiver expansion (Sec. 1).

• Requires the department to expand the Medicaid program if the department receives approval from CMS to (Sec. 1):

• Expand Medicaid Coverage to eligible individuals whose income is below 95 percent of the federal poverty level;

• Obtain maximum federal financial participation for enrolling an individual in the Medicaid expansion; and

• Permit the state to close enrollment in the medicaid expansion if the department has insufficient funds to provide services to new enrollment under the the medicaid expansion.   

• Requires the department to expand the Medicaid program if the department also pays the state portion of costs for the medicaid expansion with funds from (Sec. 1):

• The Medicaid Expansion Fund;

• County contributions to the nonfederal share of medicaid expenditures; or

• Any other contributions, funds, or transfers from a non state agency for Medicaid expenditure.

• Authorizes the department to reduce or eliminate optional Medicaid services if the costs of the Medicaid expansion exceed the funds available (Sec. 1).

• Requires the department to deposit savings into the Medicaid Expansion Fund if the costs of the Medicaid expansion exceed the funds available (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the department to submit to CMS a request for waivers, or an amendment of existing waivers, from federal law necessary to implement budget controls with the Medicaid program to address the deficiency, if the costs of the Medicaid expansion exceed the funds available (Sec. 1).

• Requires the governor to direct the Department of Health, Department of Human Services, and Department of Workforce Services to reduce commitments and expenditures by an amount sufficient to offset the deficiency if the costs of the Medicaid expansion are projected by the department to exceed the funds available in the current fiscal year, including the savings resulting from any action taken in the previously (Sec. 1).

• Requires the Division of Finance to reduce allotments to the Department of Health, Department of Human Services, and Department of Workforce Services by a percentage proportionate to the amount of the deficiency and up to 10 percent of each agency’s total current fiscal year General Fund appropriations, if the costs of the Medicaid expansion are projected by the department to exceed the funds available in the current fiscal year, including the savings resulting from any action taken in the previously  (Sec. 1).

• Requires the department to report to the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee on or before November 1 of each year that a Medicaid expansion is operational the following (Sec. 1):

• The number of individuals who enrolled in the Medicaid expansion;

• Costs to the state for the Medicaid expansion;

• Estimated costs to the state for the Medicaid expansion for the current and following fiscal years; and

• Recommendations to control costs of the Medicaid expansion.

Full Bill Text