Boot the poor | The Salt Lake Tribune

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The plea by Rep. Jake Anderegg, R-Lehi, to pass a bill forbidding Gov. Gary Herbert from accepting federal money to expand Medicaid confuses me.

First, he wants "charity care" to be a "viable option." Utah hospitals give out more than $600 million a year in charity care. That's money Utahns make up for in higher premiums. Medicaid expansion will bring the state more than $600 million. Looks like a perfect match. This would lower our insurance premiums and state government medical expenses by $600 million.

Second, Anderegg states that the Legislature has to put its foot down and stop the federal government from spending money it doesn't have. I admire his willingness to throw the poor and sick citizens of Utah under the bus to keep down the federal deficit.

Will we be seeing a spending reduction bill to, say, demand the closure of Hill Air Force Base? Many hundreds of millions of dollars that the federal government does not have are being spent there.

Somehow, only the poor and sick are going to be sacrificed for the greater good.

Gene Mahalko

Holladay