RDAC Position
The RDAC supports reasonable efforts to expand Medicaid coverage in Utah, including expansion through Utah state plan amendments and Medicaid waivers from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Issue
One of the greatest concerns for rare disease patients and their caregivers is obtaining health insurance coverage that provides access to the health care system for diagnosis and treatment, and many rare disease patients rely on Medicaid for this access. Rare diseases create health care problems that are not faced by the general public, but patients and their caregivers also must deal with the more routine health care needs faced by the general population. Therefore, any expansion of Medicaid coverage that benefits Medicaid beneficiaries in general also benefits the rare disease community. Any expansion of Medicaid benefits that is specific for rare diseases also is obviously beneficial to the community.
