Medicaid serves as the primary source of health insurance for Utah’s most vulnerable populations. The Utah Medicaid program is administered jointly by the Utah Department of Health and the Utah Department of Workforce Services. Benefits are paid with federal and state funds. As per federal regulation all Medicaid money flows through the Department of Health and flows out to others via memorandums of understanding/contracts. Primarily the Department oversees Medicaid expenditures and reimburses providers for medical services.
The Department of Human Services directly provides or contracts for Medicaid services to persons with disabilities, families in crisis, youth in the criminal justice system, and individuals who have mental health or substance abuse problems.
The Department of Workforce Services determines the vast majority of eligibility for Medicaid clients.
The Division of Health Financing changed its name to the Division of Medicaid and Health Financing sometime in 2010.