Coverage Initiatives

By popular demand, here are the slides from Len Nichols' (New America Foundation) Cover the Uninsured Week presentation; Lessons from health reform efforts around the nation; what's next for Utah.

Utahns for Sustainable Health Reform

USHARE (Utahns for Sustainable HeAlth REform) is a coalition of organizations and individuals interested in ensuring health reform is affordable and accessible for all Utahns. We use the acronym “share” because we believe responsibility for financing the reforms must be shared among individuals, employers and government, and that responsibility for maintaining and improving health must also be shared by every segment of the community, including individuals, insurers and providers. 

To join USHARE, call (801) 433-2299 or send email to elizabeth@healthpolicyproject.org

You have probably read that states across the nation are sick and tired of waiting for Congress to do something about our health care crisis.  From Maine to California, state legislatures, governors, businesses and advocates are working together to tackle what is being called “systemic health reform.” And believe it or not, Utah is ready to be the next state to do something bold to make sure we all have access to the health care we need…

We already spend $10 billion every year on health care in Utah, more than enough to pay for all of us.  Yet we all know people who can’t get the help they need or have to go to emergency rooms to see a doctor.  The good news is that in state after state, people have decided enough is enough.  But in every state where real reform has happened, real people made the difference between reforms that helped a few people and those that helped everybody.   

If we are going to get health care reform that really changes Utah’s health care system, then we need a coalition that can help us understand what is at stake and help people from all walks of life step up and speak out. That is why we formed USHARE.  With the 2008 legislative session just days ahead, you will be hearing about complex proposals to reform Utah’s health system.  If done right, these efforts could make great strides towards making quality, affordable, health care coverage available to all.

As a coalition we believe health reform should reflect the goals of:

1. Containing COST,
2. Increasing QUALITY and
3. Expanding ACCESS.

 

The U-SHARE leadership team is currently in the process of developing a set of principles to guide policymakers toward these goals.  When these are finalized we will be reaching out to organizations and individuals to endorse the goals and principles and become a part of the coalition.