Show Program helps h uninsured Lisa Clark Campus Reporter Affordability may no longer be a problem for some uninsured workers in inthe inthe inthe the state of Utah The Utah Department of I Health recently launched a new program to help employees obtain health insurance through their employers' employers health plans If an employer offers health insurance qualified individuals and families may receive up to per adult each month from the program to help cover their monthly premium payment said Jennifer Erickson media coordinator for the Utah Department of Health The program Utah's Partnership for Health Insurance or UPP is for an earlier program entitled Covered at Work The difference in the two programs is the increased amount of funding available to the new plan resulting in a higher reimbursement amount to employees The increased funding was made possible by a house bill sponsored by Representative Kory Holdaway Approximately individuals are uninsured in Utah according to a 2005 Utah Health Status Survey and of those individuals als working time full-time could be covered under their employers' employers health plans if they felt they could better afford the monthly premium payment Insurance Continued on page 2 c I Insurance for those without Continued from page 1 The hope is that this new program will reduce that number significantly said Erickson I consider UPP a wonderful new opportunity for the citizens of Utah who have not been able to afford health insurance Thanks to a partnership between employees employers and the Utah Department of Health they will now be able to receive some financial assistance to purchase private health insurance policies at work said Dr David executive director of the Utah Department of Health In order to be eligible for UPP UPI the employers employer's health insurance plan must meet some guidelines including a deductible of 1000 per person or less employer must cover at least 50 percent of the premium and the plan must cover inpatient services office visits immunizations and pharmacy expenses For individuals to be eligible for the plan they must not currently have health insurance be a US U.S. citizen be able to enroll in inan inan inan an employers employer's health plan meet specific household income guidelines and the cost of the least expensive he health insurance option available must be more than five percent of the total household income If an employee is eligible they will receive of per qualifying adult and per child The plan also offers a reimbursement for eligible individuals for dental insurance This is only available for children and is reimbursed 20 per month for each child Applications for UPP must be completed before the date that the health insurance begins More information is available at health utah upp gov or by calling 1 |