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House redirects tobacco settlement funds to expand CHIP, restores dental benefits
Summary
House Bill 72 passed the Utah House (56-14), shifting $1.5 million more into the state Children's Health Insurance Program to restore dental benefits and expand enrollment; sponsors emphasized a 4:1 federal match and warned that CHIP is a capped, non-entitlement program reliant on tobacco settlement receipts.
The Utah House approved House Bill 72, reallocating a portion of tobacco settlement restricted-account money to increase funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and restore dental benefits previously cut to control enrollment under caps. Representative Hogue, sponsor of the measure, said the bill adds $1,500,000 to CHIP funding, taking that line item from $5.5 million to $7.0 million and allowing coverage for roughly 4,000 additional children.
Sponsor: federal match and program structure
Representative Hogue emphasized CHIP's high federal match, saying the program receives a 4-to-1 federal match. "This is the highest matching funds we get at 4 to 1," she told…
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