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Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. has dropped his plan to add 10,000 poor children to the state's health insurance rolls.
Huntsman had planned to seek a federal waiver to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program to cover families making up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level. That would mean that a family of four earning up to $51,625 would qualify.
But his health adviser said Thursday that the governor will leave the decision on whether or not to expand the program to lawmakers.
CHIP provides low-cost insurance to children in families that don't qualify for Medicaid. Utah covers families making up to 200 percent of the poverty level.
John Nielsen said legislators will debate a possible CHIP expansion as part of a proposed health care reform task force. If the task-force bill passes, the group must come up with a reform plan by November.
"Ultimately, [an expansion] will require funding. [Lawmakers] ought to have a say in what the waivers look like and if they're filed at all," Nielsen said.
According to 2006 figures, there are about 10,000 uninsured Utah children up to age 18 who could benefit from expansion. The cost is unclear, though Utah spent $4 million to add 12,000 CHIP slots last year.
Advocates for low-income people aren't complaining about Huntsman's decision. They feel they've already made CHIP gains, since lawmakers are considering a bill that would ensure eligible children can always sign up. Now, enrollment is occasionally closed when funding runs out.
Jerry Cochran, health policy analyst with Voices for Utah Children, said advocates also know they need to fill existing CHIP slots - there are about 13,000 available - before they ask for more.
Enrollment cap
Utah is one of 19 states that cap enrollment in the Children's Health Insurance Program at 200 percent of the poverty level. Twelve states go above that, according to The Kaiser Family Foundation.