Medicaid expansion, health care options for Utah’s uninsured
"It's not something I know enough about," she said, adding that because no affordable coverage is available, spending time researching it is not favorable.
Toponce, of
Though she suspects Crohn's disease, without health insurance, Toponce can't afford to visit a specialist and has not received an official diagnosis of what could be wreaking havoc on her gut.
Left untreated, however, Toponce will likely end up suffering more.
"Without knowing what's wrong with me, alternative treatments are just not effective," she said.
Toponce is one of about 67,000 Utahns who need coverage but can't afford it. Finding a "
Toponce falls into what is called the coverage gap - a group of people who earn too much money to qualify for existing
"Nearly two-thirds of the people in this group are employed, many working more than one job to make ends meet. Of the remaining third, many are the medically frail, who have conditions that make it impossible for them to work," according to a 32-page publication detailing Gov.
For at least the past year, Herbert has developed an alternative to
Healthy
The governor's plan, however, faces an uphill battle among lawmakers, who seem to favor the perceivably lowest cost option of offering health care only to
If the state doesn't pursue an option that expands
Republicans and Democrats in the
Also fluid, however, are the lives that stand to be affected by whatever decision
Toponce recently missed a week of work because of ongoing stomach problems. She said her co-workers and boss understand, but she's lost a job because of it before.
"It's my normal now," she said. "I get excited when I don't throw up in the shower. That's just gross."
Through the Affordable Care Act, which was enacted in 2010 to expand the availability of health insurance, states are given the flexibility to provide coverage to residents through
After nearly two years of study, the state's
Sen.
Other lawmakers have said they plan to take action, but a streamlined plan hasn't stood out.
Community, academic and religious leaders have publicly supported Herbert's plan, however.
"We recognize that providing adequate health care to individuals and families throughout
"As a health care provider, there's no question it is better to have these people on health insurance than have them uninsured, come into our emergency rooms with a heart attack and sit in our intensive care units," she said. "Those costs are absorbed by society, and it's just a bad way to manage a population. It's just not the right thing to do."
The Healthy Utah plan, which Herbert has said has preliminary approval from the federal government, would enroll participants in a work effort, to help them get jobs or improve on their current situations with training and consulting help.
Like many who would qualify for Healthy Utah, Toponce has a job. It's one that is limited to less than the 30 hours that would require her employer to offer benefits, but she is happy there and is working toward a college degree.
"The worst part, in my opinion, isn't my financial strife and downfall. The worst part to me isn't the fact that I have no idea what's wrong with me," she said. "The worst part, as I see it, is that this could have all been avoided. If proper health care was a human right, not something for those lucky enough to afford or qualify for the programs we've put in place, none of this would have happened."
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