This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The design of the ACA (aka Obamacare) included a provision that assisted citizens with very low incomes who do not qualify for ACA, a safety net called Medicaid expansion.

I don't think anyone thought state right-wing legislators would leverage their hate for the president to such a degree they would harm their own citizens. Not expanding Medicaid will do just that.

Maybe it was a failure in the original ACA design to not take into account how reckless Utah can be.

Edward R. Blake

Salt Lake City