Sutherland Institute applauds passage of SB172 –
Medicaid Waiver Amendments
SALT LAKE CITY — Today the Utah Senate voted in favor of SB 172 – Medicaid Waiver Amendments. This legislation, making changes to the current Medicaid system, can be explained in two parts.
First, it allows the Utah Department of Health to ask for federal funds or block grants for Medicaid recipients without burdensome restrictions on how they use the money. Second, if the block grant is denied, the bill would allow the health department to do three things:
Sutherland Institute Vice President Stan Rasmussen testified before committee in support of this bill and released the following statement:
“We believe that welfare programs such as Medicaid should be designed to help people achieve a dignifying life of self-reliance through earned success, like we all strive for,” Rasmussen said. “The restrictive structure of the current Medicaid program is not well-suited to achieve such outcomes. Instead, it leaves people worrying that their next job or promotion will mean the loss of their health coverage, thereby undermining their pursuit of a better life rather than aiding it.
“SB 172 begins a process to help reform Medicaid into a program designed to give able-bodied, low-income Utahns the tools they need – including a stable job, health coverage they can take with them, and affordable health services – to achieve a life in which they no longer need to rely on Medicaid for health coverage.
“Further, by pursuing federal Medicaid waivers that help able-bodied Utahns achieve a life of earned success for themselves, SB 172 is anticipated also to improve the ability of Medicaid to meet the needs of Utahns who are more likely to need Medicaid over the long term, such as low-income children and mothers, and the disabled.
“For these reasons, we encourage the support of SB 172 and ask Utah’s House to take it into serious consideration.”
For more information on this legislation or interview requests:
Kelsey Köenen Witt | Media Relations Manager
kelsey@sifreedom.org
c: 801.497.1562 (text or call) o: 801.355.1272 ext. 115
www.sutherlandinstitute.org
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Our 2018 Season is just 3 WEEKS AWAY! Team practices start the week of March 12th and our celebratory 5K is June 2nd. We are on pace to have a record number of teams this year!
Make sure your daughter is registered today by selecting her school on the program registration application. From there you will see the teams' practice days and times. If you don't see your school on the list, contact Ivy Denihan, our program director at ivy@girlsontherunutah.org.
We can't wait to get running this year!
2018 PROGRAM REGISTRATION APPLICATION
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Rep. Kennedy to hold a press conference to discuss Utah School Safety Commission
Protecting our children
What:
Keeping children safe is a high priority for everyone. With the rise of school threats, now more than ever is the time to rally together to come up with solutions.
Rep. Mike Kennedy assembled an uncompensated commission, Utah School Safety (USS), that will review policies directed at increasing safety in our schools. Robust dialog amongst elected officials, stakeholders, doctors, professors, parents, teachers and community members will help develop Utah solutions to increase measures to protect the safety of children across the state.
During the press conference, elected officials and stakeholders will review the plan and the purpose of the USS Commission.
Where:
Capitol Building, Gold Room
350 State St., Salt Lake City, UT 84111
When:
Thursday, March 1, 9:45 a.m.
Who:
Rep. Mike Kennedy, District 27
Members of the Utah School Safety Commission
