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Utah Health Matters E-Newsletter
February 9, 2007
Greetings
Health Advocates,
With 2 weeks & 4 days remaining in the Session, NOW is the time to make
our case for all worthy health priorities.
Reasonable funding for Medicaid (including dental & vision) and CHIP
seems more possible than last week, but it will take persistent and
respectful efforts. Based on recent experience working with Ogden community leaders, we
cannot over-emphasize the need to engage community leaders from the districts
of leadership, in this suggested order: Utah County (Pres.
Valentine, Sen. Bramble, Rep Lockhart), St. George
(Rep. D. Clark), Logan & Bear River (Sen. Knudson & Hillyard), Sandy (Speaker Curtis). While
new to leadership, Sen. Killpack is also critical,
because Republican leadership is deferring to his judgment on the merits of HHS
priorities.
The week ahead…
1.
Where We Stand on Funding for Health & Human Needs: Making Room for Medicaid & CHIP
2. Health
Bill Tracker for Week 5
3. Federal FRONT:
What’s Next for SCHIP Reauthorization?
4. Updates &
Next Steps for Consolidation under Dept of Workforce Services
5. Coverage for the Utah’s Uninsured: Blind
Spot of Utah Health Policy?
6. Civic Engagement Resources
1. Where we
stand on Funding for Health Needs: Making
Room for Medicaid & CHIP
Last Wednesday, the Health & Human Services Subcommittee
Co-Chairs presented the HHS priorities and
recommendations to Executive Appropriations Committee, the leadership of the
Legislature. We were pleased to hear
the co-chairs represent the sub-committee’s request to allocate 8% of the
available surplus to HHS priorities. However,
the chairs also recalled the main recommendations of the Medicaid Interim
Committee: to limit Medicaid cost growth to 5%.
The chairs pointed that if the $19 million from the Federal cost
shifting of targeted case management were not subtracted from HHS’ funding allotment
(but taken instead from the larger General Fund), then the committee could limit cost growth to 5% (The
main recommendation from the Medicaid Interim Committee was to limit Medicaid
cost growth to 5%). What’s curious
about this is that the original 5% target was aimed at Medicaid—not at all HHS expenses.
With our one-on-one meetings with leadership the following are
important points to make: either HHS should have 8% of the
available surplus OR the $19 million should not be ‘parked’ in the HHS area. Either scenario
makes it possible to drill down the HHS combined priority
list to levels that will fund the most critical priorities.
Take Action
If you’ve been holding back in your advocacy, now’s the time to
pull out all the stops. These 2-3 days
are the ‘calm before the storm.’ If leadership is to be persuaded to allocate
8% to HHS (or take the $19 million from the general
fund), they must hear from YOU NOW about why the
following priorities should be funded.
-Medicaid vision & dental services (ranked 20 & 21)
-full CHIP funding (and the program should be re-opened in
March, not July)
-mental health funding.
For talking points, visit http://www.healthpolicyproject.org/LegActionCenter/fact_sheets.htm
Please take a few minute
to call, visit, or email members of leadership (It is fine to call them at
home).
Executive Appropriations
(Leadership), House Members
Executive
Appropriations (Leadership), Senate Members
Please send thank you notes to our Co-Chairs for representing
the committee’s wishes well and for their service to the most challenging and
heart rending committee of the Legislature:
Sen. Allen Christensen, Co Chair achristensen@utahsenate.org
Fax: 326-1475 Home: 801-782-5600
Rep. Merlynn T. Newbold,
Co Chair merlynnnewbold@utah.gov
Fax 326-1544
NOTE: Since leadership’s recommendations impact the entire state,
you don’t have to live in a member’s district to call—though it helps if you
do. If you call Friday or Monday, leave a message with the Capitol
switchboard (Senate: (801) 538-1035, House: (801) 538-1029). Ask the legislator to call you back
sometime that day, if at all possible. If you call them at home or on their
cell, ask if they can spare a few minutes.
Get Ready for Feb. 15
Revenue Projections…
This Thursday, Feb. 15 the new revenue projections will be
announced and we expect they will be positive (leaving more surplus or wiggle
room in the budget for funding priorities). The Utah Medicaid Policy
Partnership may hold a press conference that day or the next (or the UHPP may
do a ‘virtual’ press conference featuring comments from community leaders in
key legislative districts). Please weigh in how you want to handle this. It
is our understanding that the Family Investment Coalition wants to hold a
press conference on Feb. 19.
2. Health
Bill Tracker for Week 5
For
the latest updates on most health-related bills. Click on Health
Bill Tracker for 2-9-2007.
Victory on the PDL (SB42 Preferred Drug List)!
SB42 passed both the House and Senate, which means Utah is on the path to better
management of Medicaid cost growth. The UMPP’s
argument to re-invest the savings in Medicaid (in this case, provider rates)
is also making headway. Over the next year our challenge will be to implement
additional cost management tools and to make sure the PDL is fully engaged to
improve quality and safety in prescribing, to limit costs, and to educate
consumers and providers about the prudent use of pharmaceuticals. It’s not as
easy as it sounds!
3. FEDERAL
FRONT: Next Steps for SCHIP Reauthorization
Presid | 