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Show Medicaid and other programs in order to reduce uncompensated care and cost shifting. • Develop a conflict of interest law limiting practitioners' ability to profit from self-referral. • Expand prudent purchasing strategies in Utah's public health care programs. • Create public forums for debating what Utahns want from their health care system and aligning expectations with available resources. • Explore initiatives which will improve access to quality affordable health care for Utahns. • Simplify and encourage the medical liability legal process toward alternative dispute resolution before litigation, and limit awards for non-economic damages. • Create incentives for improved physician participation in Medicaid. • Develop initiatives for enhancing the supply of generalist/ primary care physicians and ancillary practitioners. • Develop and encourage use of a universal claim form to be used by all payers. The Utah Health Care Access Steering Committee The Health Care Access Steering Committee (HCASC), created in 1987, is a voluntary group of Utahns made up of health care providers, health insurers, the public at large, state government officials, and others concerned with healthcare. The mission of HCASC is to ensure that medically necessary health care services are accessible to all residents of Utah, permanent and temporary, regardless of age, geographic location, ability to pay, cultural background and/or physical mobility, and that the delivery of these services maintains individual dignity and enhances the quality of life of the persons served. The Steering Committee has developed a three-part strategy, with the state government in the best position to assume responsibility for coordination and implementation of the recommendations. Part 1 - Assure Universal Access to Health Care Insurance and Service: • Reform the financing system. • Provide a safety net for employers and individuals. • Encourage employers to provide health insurance. • Establish minimum benefits. • Establish uniform options to be incorporated in all commercial plans. • Assemble financial resources for the Utah Health Access Program (UHAP). • Assure and emphasize urban and rural primary care. • Strength public health and preventive medicine. Part 2 - Contain Health Care Costs: • Establish the health care system for UHAP. • Reduce practice variation. • Improve data on cost and quality. • Increase individual responsibility. • Improve administrative efficiency in delivery and reimbursement • Minimize incentive for abuse from self-referrals. • Initiate efforts to ensure that anti-trust laws do not inhibit the development of cost-effective, high quality health care system. • Change federal and state tax laws to eliminate preferences for employer paid health insurance and to eliminate 140 NOTES |
