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Letter: The real cost of the Medicaid expansion

(Francisco Kjolseth | Tribune file photo) More than 300 demonstrators fill the Capitol rotunda on Jan. 28, 2019, on the first day of the Legislative session to rally in support of protecting Proposition 3, the Medicaid Expansion law recently passed by voters.

Senate Bill 96 has dominated time and energy of the early days of Utah’s legislative session, as well as many days in years past.

With only 45 days in session each year to pass or change laws, the cost is excruciatingly high for something that was decided in November by the people of Utah.

The majority of Utah citizens were frustrated with the annual inability of the legislative process to address the needs of health care for 150,000 of our most vulnerable friends and neighbors. We chose to pay for this expansion ourselves, as we are a community that takes action to help a neighbor in need.

We only have 45 days to address critical needs for our state through the legislative process. What bills have been, and will continue to be, left on the table because elected lawmakers who have failed the past five years to expand Medicaid refuse to listen?

I would like to see this factored into the fiscal note on SB96 to reflect the real cost of Medicaid expansion for the people of Utah.

Kelly Winslow, Millcreek

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