The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is doling out $49 million to Utah's high risk insurance pool and those in 30 other states as part of the Bush administration's strategy for expanding access to health care.

Tomi Ossana, HIP's executive director, said the money is coming at a good time.

The ranks of those who are uninsured and can't access health insurance through the individual market is growing as the economy sputters and more people lose their jobs, she said. About 300 more people are enrolled in HIP than this same time last year.

While HIP helps provide insurance for those who might not otherwise be able to get it, it comes at a high price. Premiums for coverage are calculated based on age and deductible options, and can exceed $700 a month.

About 607 of HIP's 3,600 enrollees live at or below 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level and receive a low-income subsidy, Ossana said. The CMS grant is the second one HIP has received and used for low-income subsidies. The first was in 2006 for $2.4 million.

The latest grant, Ossana said, will maintain the subsidies for those who already receive them and allow those who want to come into the program - and are eligible - to receive assistance.

"We're grateful to be able to provide this kind of funding for individuals who, without the help, would not have health insurance - and we think that's critical," she said.

An estimated 18,000 people in Utah are uninsurable, Ossana said, among them young people with chronic conditions and older people who are retired, but are not yet 65 and do not qualify for Medicare.

CMS allocated its funds based on the number of uninsured individuals in each state and the numbers of individuals enrolled in each pool. Utah received the second highest grant among the six states in CMS' Western region. Colorado received the most, at $1.8 million.

lrosetta@sltrib.com