2009-2010 PRIORITIES

Coverage Initiatives

Utah’s local and Congressional leaders have heard the cries for help from Utah small businesses and consumers around the need to address access, cost and quality within our health care system.  Both are moving forward on separate but not necessarily incompatible tracks to address the growing concerns, a unique feature of the United States federalist model.  To ensure all Utahns have access to comprehensive, affordable, quality care and coverage, UHPP is working to take advantage of opportunities at both the local and national level.

At the national level, there is unprecedented opportunity to pass comprehensive health reform.  UHPP will be tracking the discussion and debate, analyzing proposals as they emerge, and providing opportunities for you to be engaged in the process.  You can find more information about national reforms here.

On the state level, the Health Reform Task Force is meeting again this summer.  UHPP is happy to announce that this year these working groups are multi-stakeholder, task-oriented groups.  This will allow for cross-pollination between stakeholders and hopefully move Utah closer to the finish line.  Three Working Groups have been created with Technical Advisory Groups (TAGs) for one of the Working Groups:

• Oversight and Implementation Working Group
• Transparency, Quality and Infrastructure Working Group – task list is here.
• Access and Affordability Working Group
• Administrative Simplification TAG
• Health and Wellness TAG
• Outreach and Public Programs TAG

You can view a full list of the Community Working Groups, Technical Advisory groups, and their charge and membership here.  UHPP will have a representative at all of the meetings.  See our Action Calendar for a list of the meeting dates and times.

As with any change of this magnitude, it will take time to implement and monitor the results.  Exactly what impact the bills will have on increasing access, containing costs and improving quality is yet to be seen. To make the most of where we are in the reform process both at the state and national level, UHPP will continue to focus on:

•  Ensuring reform proposals support UHPP's Guiding Principles for Health Care Reform, in particular the need to create affordable coverage options;

•  Research on best practices and policy solutions like reinsurance and other mechanisms for managing risk;

•  Engaging the general public and small business owners in the reform process through town hall meetings, legislative summits, storybanking and other approaches;

•  Working to replace Utah's Primary Care Network (which covers only preventive and primary care) with a credible and affordable full coverage program for low-income working adults.

•  Improving access to primary and preventative care statewide.

•  Working to eliminate disparities in health access, coverage and outcomes.

•  Making the most of opportunities at the national level.

•  Use the momentum of the Presidential election to reform the health care system.

•  Help Utahns identify which of the various national reform opportunities will ensure the best possible outcomes and resources for the state.

UHPP has formed a coalition called U-SHARE (Utahns for Sustainable HeAlth REform). This coalition is made up of organizations and individuals dedicated to ensuring health reform is affordable and accessible for all Utahns. Click here to go to U-SHARE's website.

For a list of Fact Sheets and Papers on Coverage Initiatives click here.