Written by Joselle Vanderhooft
April 11, 2010

SLAP: Michael Waddoups

It seems that Sarah Palin was right. Healthcare death panels really do exist. At least, the State Legislature seems interested in creating one. Last week, Senate President Michael Waddoups and the Executive Appropriations Committee voted to hold off on accepting federal funds for the Ryan White Program, which helps low-income Utahns with HIV/AIDS purchase their anti-retroviral medications. Their reasoning? “Obamacare” will cover this, and having HIV/AIDS is due to “lifestyle choices,” anyway. The same “Obamacare” that will mandate insurance coverage for all adults regardless of pre-existing conditions — in 2014. And the same disease that doesn’t discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and which kills straight and gay individuals equally when they don’t have their medication. Shame on Waddoups and the committee for using the lives of some of the most vulnerable Utahns to rail at the federal government yet again. The Legislature’s never ending romance with sending messages about things they don’t like has likely cost our state more time and money than any program like Ryan White ever could.

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