Salt Lake City bishop slams lawmakers for refusing to expand Medicaid

Right now an opportunity to protect the dignity and sanctity of human life in Utah is being squandered by legislators who refuse to act in a morally responsible manner.

In the name of politics, Utah Legislators continue to block tens of thousands of Utahns from access to healthcare coverage. Utah, home of phenomenal levels of volunteerism and charity, is one of four states that remain undecided about expanding Medicaid. Governor Gary Herbert has proposed a potential solution that would provide at least some of the necessary coverage, while maintaining the fiscally conservative values of the state. Despite his ongoing and productive discussions with the federal Health and Human Services administration, Utah’s Republican Legislators continue to say no to any plans that would protect human health.

Legislators claim the issue requires more study. This comes after a year of study that included paying an outside firm to research the potential costs and benefits of various expansion scenarios, convening experts of all stripes, and running simultaneous task forces – one from the executive branch and one in the legislative branch – to consider all options. The results of these multiple efforts have all been in support of expanding Medicaid in some form. Despite all of the expert advice, Republican leadership in the Legislature refuses to accept the realities, the facts, the numbers, and asks for more studies. In essence, leadership is holding its breath until it gets its way.

Legislative recalcitrance might be of little concern if there weren’t thousands of Utahns suffering in the meantime. Whatever games legislators want to play, they are doing so with people’s lives. While they push for political points, low-income Utahns continue to get sick; continue to suffer from treatable, preventable diseases that without treatment become catastrophic. In a state that proudly proclaims its pro-life beliefs, denying readily available healthcare coverage to thousands does not promote the sanctity and dignity of life. It is imperative that we as a state provide health care to our low-income working families who otherwise are unable to afford it.