As Utah voters approve Proposition 3 Medicaid expansion, 150,000 Utahns gain healthcare coverage
By RyLee Curtis
Utah voters have cast their ballots, and the results are clear: Utahns want Medicaid expansion. Passing with 54 percent of the vote on Election Day, the final margin of victory for Proposition 3, which expands the state’s healthcare program to an estimated 150,000 Utahns, will be announced Nov. 20th. But today, supporters are celebrating.
Proposition 3 expands Medicaid in Utah and will deliver life-saving healthcare to more than 150,000 Utahns, including parents and those with chronic illnesses. It will expand Medicaid to individuals earning less than $17,000 a year, or parents earning less than $34,000 per year for a family of four. Proposition 3 will bring home nine federal dollars for every state dollar spent, which is $800 million in our tax dollars back to Utah every year. That money will create nearly 14,000 new jobs and generate $1.7 billion in statewide economic impact.
Definitively, ballot initiatives really do reflect the will of the people. In record-breaking turnout, Utahns all over the state have made it clear that they understand and have prioritized expanding access to healthcare through Medicaid expansion.
The Proposition 3 campaign to expand Medicaid to 150,000 Utahns has always been about extending a helping hand to Utahns in need.
“I’ve never been prouder to be Utahn,” said Grant Burningham of Bountiful. “Was I nervous about the results? Of course, but I always believed at the end of the day, when it came down to the vote, Utahns would support helping people like me.”
There have been hundreds of consumers who have offered glimpses into their lives with legislators, the media, and with the general public — bravery worth admiration. Their ability to be truthful and sincere as they were oftentimes questioned about the most intimate parts of their lives — divorce, death, accidents, and diagnosis — and how these unexpected life events impacted their ability to get healthcare
Frisby, a resident of Taylorsville I met while lobbying for Medicaid expansion in 2015, needed a colonoscopy. Frisby was unable to obtain the screening because she was uninsured. Shortly thereafter, she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and passed away, leaving behind her husband of 23 ½ years, a Vietnam War veteran. She passed away before Utah expanded Medicaid, but the passage of Proposition 3 means that people like Carol can get the care that they need, and stories like hers will be prevented.
Carol and I never regretted sharing our story about her needing Medicaid. She was a pioneer in trying to do something and I’m glad that her efforts, and the efforts of all these people have finally paid off.”
“Proposition 3 had the support of several faith-based organizations, hundreds of medical professionals and their trade associations, nonprofit and direct service organizations, and hundreds of volunteers statewide who gave their time to help pass the initiative,” said Carol’s husband, Brent.
This past year, Proposition 3 volunteers and dedicated advocates collected over 200,000 signatures to secure Medicaid’s spot on the ballot, and the campaign reached hundreds of thousands of Utah voters through phone banking, television ads, direct mail, and social media.
Utah voters recognized this need and came together to show that we are a state that above all else values families. With this win, starting in April, 150,000 Utahns will be able to apply for Medicaid and receive approvalnthat will allow them to visit their primary care doctor, treat their ongoing medical conditions, and get healthy.
RyLee Curtis is campaign manager for Proposition 3.
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