UTAH HEALTH POLICY PROJECT

2007-2008 Results

UHPP was instrumental in amending and helping to pass the main vehicle for health reform, HB133 (see our position paper). Specifically, UHPP ensured that the state did not take steps backward in how the premium subsidy program, Utah Premium Partnership (UPP), operates. We worked to remove provisions that would have harmed eligible Utahns and added provisions to streamline UPP. Also, we made sure that any changes to public programs will be tracked at the recipient level. UHPP served as co-convener of the Community Workgroup with the United Way of Salt Lake. To learn more about HB133 and implications for UHPP’s future efforts, read our invited article in the U of U’s online journal of the Center for Public Policy and Administration:
HB 131 (Rep. J. Seelig) created a new line of minigrants for community-based organizations to enroll high-risk Utahns in Medicaid, CHIP & Utah Premium Partnership (UPP) and teach how to make effective use of their benefits. This UHPP led bill moves Utah forward on one of state policymakers core goals for reform: to optimize current programs.
HB 364 (Rep. K. Holdaway) facilitated the promotion of UPP, CHIP & Medicaid in Utah Schools, and created a modest budget to help promote the woefully under-utilized UPP. The UPP program is a cornerstone of health reform in Utah because it is the mechanism that will allow low wage earning Utah families to participate in the private health insurance market.
Helped to pass and fund HB326, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Open Enrollment, which requires that Utah's CHIP program remain open to all eligible families who apply for coverage (see our fact sheet). Since its inception in 1998, Utah's CHIP program has been a capitated program, with enrollment closing when the program's funds ran out. As a result, in the past few years the opportunities to enroll in the program have been very limited. HB326 removes the cap and provides sufficient funds to allow all eligible kids to enroll. For many years UHPP has fought the constant and confusing closing and re-opening of the CHIP program.
Worked to fund Medicaid dental services for one year (see our fact sheet). Ever since the 2002 recession, UHPP (and its precursors) has fought for Medicaid dental funding. Once again the legislature did not provide dental services to the low wage earning parents enrolled in Medicaid. Because of the PCN (Primary Care Network, Utah's controversial Medicaid waiver), Utah cannot restore dental benefits for the parents. As part of the reform process, we will be working hard to replace the PCN with real coverage. This will be for the sake of the PCN population-and for the Medicaid parents and their dental needs.
Medicaid vision services were temporarily restored using surplus Medicaid Funds (see our fact sheet). Thanks to UHPP's leadership and teamwork with coalition partners, the Legislature gave the Department of Health the ability to provide Medicaid vision services using money from the Department's base budget.