Welcome to the Utah Health Policy Project

The Utah Health Policy Project is a resource for the public, community leaders, businesses, health care providers and policy makers interested in strengthening the health care system while working to develop visionary and systemic solutions to the crisis of the uninsured and under-insured.

View our recommendations on Health System Reform in Utah, The Road Map to Success.

Download our report, Integrating Quality into Utah's Health System Reforms, a collaboration with HealthInsight.

Guiding principles	Utahns for sustainable health reform

Our Mission

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

UHPP's 2008-9 PRIORITIES

1. Coverage Initatives & U-SHARE

The chance to reform health care in Utah is here! The Utah Health Policy Project has formed a coalition called USHARE
(Utahns for Sustainable HeAlth REform) to make sure that health reforms are affordable and accessible for all of us--including employers and taxpayers. Our motto is "share" because responsibility for paying for health care (and seeking health care at the right time and place) must be shared among individuals, employers, and government. Take a look at our Guiding Principles for Health Care Reform. Click on USHARE to learn more.

Within the reform process, now underway, UHPP will focus on the following:

• Engaging the general public and small business owners in the reform process;
• Make sure that reform proposals support all of the Guiding Principles for Health Care Reform;
• Work to replace Utah's Primary Care Network (which covers only preventive and primary care) with a credible coverage program (or "waiver") for low-income working adults;

2. Medicaid/CHIP Policy Clinic

Ensure sustainable financing of 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 care services;
• details coming soon
  
  
  

3. Utah Business Group on Health

• Complete our 2007 small business health benefits survey and use the results to improve upon reform proposals.
• Work with the business community, the Governor's Office of Economic Development, and Salt Lake County to develop affordable health care coverage solutions for small businesses;
• Make sure small businesses have a voice in the reform process

4. Quality Watch

• Develop the statewide infrastructure and capacity to improve overall quality of care and reduce health disparities. 
• Ensure successful implementation of the communtiy based self sufficiency mini-contracts initiative (HB131)
• Maximize transparency and value- or quality-based purchasing within and beyond the context of health system reforms.
• Maximize the role of CHIP and Medicaid to reduce health disparities.
• Work with the leadership of MHN to assess adequacy of interpreter and broader CLAS (Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Standards) standards in the public and private sector and recommend improvements.