Utah Health Policy Project

...a health care system that provides medically necessary care to all Utah residents in a timely, efficient, and culturally effective manner with sustainable financing.

Over 442,000 Utahns live without health insurance of any kind. A similar number are underinsured.Our businesses are burdened by health care costs, and our families are frequently financially devastated by illness and injury.
Americans pay more for health care by a wide margin than do the residents of any other industrialized country; and yet only Americans are at risk for illness and death due to lack of health coverage.
Sixty percent of the $2 trillion Americans will spend on health care this year will come from state and federal taxes, making the American taxpayer the world's most generous in paying for health care programs.
These facts combine to make health care policy the most difficult and perplexing domestic issue of our state and nation. Optimal change in Utah's health care system will occur only if the public is informed about basic health policy and economics. To that end, we have formed the Utah Health Policy Project.

...to create quality, affordable, comprehensive health care coverage to all people in Utah through research, policy advocacy, and civic participation activites.

Our Objectives

Develop and implement visionary and systemic solutions to Utah's health care crisis; incrementally expand access to affordable health coverage in ways that further systemic solutions. In 2007-08: Build the momentum and community/small business support for comprehensive health system reforms designed around the concept of a Health Insurance Exchange. Within and beyond these reforms...
Ensure sustainable and cost effective financing of state and Federal resources in Medicaid, CHIP, and other cost-effective health programs like Federally Qualified Health Centers and low-income clinics; work with the Medicaid provider and advocacy community to ensure timely access to quality health car services.
Develop the statewide infrastructure and capacity to improve overall quality of care and reduce health disparities.

These four initiatives provide research and timely critical analysis of Medicaid policies, explore business solutions that make coverage affordable and monitor our advocacy efforts to make sure that recommendations are consistent with the best medical practices.

The Medicaid Policy Clinic
As the research arm of the Utah Health Policy Project, the Medicaid Policy Clinic provides timely critical analysis of Medicaid and CHIP policies, including the state's controversial waiver initiative, the Primary Care Network. Publications include: Medicaid Matters, a quarterly newsletter on Utah Medicaid policy and advocacy strategy, position papers and fact sheets, among others.

The Utah Business Group on Health
Health system reform starts with Utah's small business owners and their employees because their economic success depends on access to affordable health care coverage. If we are serious about economic development in Utah, we will show bold leadership in health system reform. Building on our endorsements from the business community we will form the Utah Business Group on Health to lead out on the search for solutions that make sense in today's economy. Utah can be first in economic development, but only if we make health coverage affordable and sustainable.

Quality Watch
Quality Watch is dedicated to the promotion of 'best practices' in the delivery of quality, cost-effective, and culturally appropriate health care. Inits first year this group of high-profile physicians and public health professionals will conduct a literature review, examine models in other states, and begin an environmental scan of statewide capacity to deliver quality care.

The Universal Coverage Initiative
UHPP has formed U-SHARE (Utahns for
Sustainable Health Reform) to be the people’s voice in the health reform debates. We bring together all kinds of people and organizations – like small business owners, seniors, uninsured and under-insured people -- to make sure that the health reforms are affordable and accessible for all of us and for employers and taxpayers. We use the acronym “share” because we believe that responsibility for financing the reforms must be shared among individuals (according to means), employers, and government. Click here to learn more.