Utah Health Policy Project Statement on Suspension of Work Reporting Requirement

April 3, 2020  

As health care advocates, we are very pleased that the state has acted wisely to stop burdensome paperwork requirements during this economic and public health crisis.

Medicaid is an essential piece of the safety net that protects low-income Utahns during this kind of emergency, and our leaders should be doing everything they can to roll out a health insurance welcome mat rather than upholding barriers to care. 

Work requirements or “community engagement” rules have always been illegal, illogical, and unnecessarily punitive. These flaws are amplified during this pandemic but are also problematic even in the best of times. We are hopeful that state leaders will realize the short-sightedness and inefficiency of this policy and suspend work requirements permanently. 


We are grateful that Utah is following the Families First Coronavirus Response Act requirement that Medicaid enrollees maintain continuous coverage during this emergency period. There are many ways that people can fall through the cracks and lose coverage, and a guarantee of access during this crisis is vitally important. We urge the state to proactively promote this continued coverage, and make every effort possible to reach out to potentially eligible Utahns and encourage enrollment.

 

For questions regarding eligibility and free assistance with enrollment, contact our Take Care Utah health access assisters:

http://www.healthpolicyproject.org/remote-enrollment-options/

You can reach our team Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, and We have remote enrollment capabilities, including phone appointments, video chat assistance, and screen sharing capabilities. Enrollment options will change depending on community needs and client accessibility.

 

You can also follow UHPP and Take Care Utah on social media to stay up to speed:

@UHPP on Twitter | @UTHPP on Facebook

@TakeCareUtah on Twitter and Facebook

For COVID-19 resources, policy recommendations, and updates, visit our website:

http://www.healthpolicyproject.org/covid-19/

 

Unsubscribe