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Show 1997 LEGISLATIVE SESSION HEALTH-RELATED BILLS Information provided by the Utah Health Policy Commission The Utah Health Policy Commission had a very successful session during 1997. All four of the legislative items the Commission recommended to the Legislature passed and many of the budget items requested by the Commission were successfully funded. HB 216, Rural Health Care Provider Amendments, sponsored by Representative Haymond. This bill requires health maintenance organizations to reimburse providers for medical care received by their enrollees at an independent hospital, federally qualified center, or with a credentialed staff member of one of these facilities at a location with a population density of less than 100 persons per square mile and within 30 miles of the enrollee. HB 141, Medical Education Program, sponsored by Representative Haymond. This bill establishes a Medical Education Council made up of seven to eight members from institutions that sponsor graduate medical education and from the general public. The powers and duties of the council are related to obtaining funds for graduate medical education and from the general public. The powers and duties of the council are related to obtaining funds for graduate medical education from the Health Care Finance Administration, state appropriation, and private donations and directing those funds in the reimbursement of institutions who sponsor health care professionals in training. The Medical Education Program replaces direct hospital reimbursement for medical education and allows the Council to determine where the money is spent based on their assessments of the health care needs of the state. The Council will determine the number and types of medical residences and other graduate medical positions for which program money can be spent. SB 60, Open Enrollment Amendments, sponsored by Senator Mantes. This bill gives Utahns the opportunity to purchase a health insurance plan whether or not an employer-sponsored plan is offered, because individual carriers are required to accept additional enrollees up to an agree amount. Small employers and their employees are guaranteed access to small group insurance policies through federal law (Kassebaum/Kennedy, HR 3103). Small group premiums will be about 30 percent, above or below, of an "average" person's rate with similar characteristics such as age, geography, and occupation. In addition, employees who do not have access to health insurance through an employer plan will have access to an individual policy in either Utah's Health Insurance Pool (HIP) or the individual market for themselves, and their premiums cannot be more than HIP premiums. HIP premiums are set at the age-adjusted rates being charged on January 1, 1997, and are tied to small group rate trends. SB 107, Medical Savings Account Amendments, sponsored by Senator Mantes. This bill reconciles Utah's existing law with a new federal law and addresses the problem of a double tax deduction. In order to eliminate the double tax deduction, the tax payer would be given the choice of which deduction they preferred. Those individuals who chose the federal plan will not be included in the tax deduction on the state plan. Budget Items. The Commission recommended $350,000 for the continuation of the Primary Care Grants program and were allocated $350,000 again in one-time funding to help the working poor, homeless people, and ethnic minorities who otherwise would not have access to health care. The Commission recommended $200,000 for the start-up costs of the southern Utah Area Health Education Center (AHEC) and $200,000 was allocated for the second of four centers. This center will open in the Cedar City/St. George area. The Commission recommended $650,000 for the continuation of the Primary Care Grants program and to help fund the programs who applied for assistance last year but were not funded. The legislature did not appropriate any of the $650,000. The Commission recommended $500,000 for funding more school nurses. The legislature allocated $350,000 to the State Office of Education for the purpose of hiring more school nurses. The Commission requested one-time funding of $300,000 for a state data system and one-time funding of $1,800,000 for the second MMR immunization. The legislature allocated $250,000 for the second MMR immunization and did not appropriate funds for a state data system. Utah's Health: An Annual Review 1996 127 |