From Deseret News archives:
United Way lists priorities
Financial stability, strengthened education, health-system reform and cohesive communities are the ultimate goals that the organization announced at a news conference at the Capitol.
Health-system issues are expected to get a lot of attention at the upcoming session. Scott Ideson, chairman of the UWSL Public Policy Committee and president and chief executive officer of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah, said the organization supports a bill that would provide a foundation for a multi-year effort to reform the health system.
"Utah's health system faces significant and urgent challenges," he said. "Rapidly increasing costs of care driven in large part by lifestyle choices, obesity, aging population and overall utilization are resulting in record numbers of Utahns without health coverage."
Utahns' median household incomes rose 15 percent in the past decade, but health-care premiums grew 109 percent, he said. And the percentage of Utah businesses offering coverage has slipped from 57.4 percent in 1998 to 44.1 percent in 2005.
"Meaningful reform of our health-care system will take several years to implement and must address the challenges of cost, access and quality together," he said, adding that the United Way supports efforts to have a "conservative, market-driven framework for reform that will enhance individual responsibility and consumer choice, while improving overall quality and access."
Regarding financial stability, Lane Summerhays, chairman of the organization's Financial Stability Council and president and chief executive officer of the Workers Compensation Fund, said about 600,000 Utahns are "living pretty much paycheck to paycheck."
To help, UWSL supports Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s recommended appropriation of $100,000 to help educate the public about earned income tax credits available to low- to medium-wage earners. The state has invested $500,000 so far for education, but Utahns have received $23 million in tax credits. "That's an enormous return on investment," he said.
The United Way also supports Huntsman's recommendations for $1.6 million for the Olene Walker Housing Loan Fund and $1 million ongoing funding for the Pamela Atkinson Homeless Trust, as well as a bill to increase financial-literacy education in schools.
Comments
- New plans for Sandy Proscenium land 3:27 p.m.
- Holladay development appeal denied 2:59 p.m.
- BYU bug to aid in soil clean up 2:50 p.m.
- Provo council members say goodbye 2:49 p.m.
- Rancher run over by tractor, injured 2:45 p.m.
- Stronger retail boost stocks 2:44 p.m.
- Snow hampers missing mom search 2:24 p.m.
- Gun laws becoming more loose 2:16 p.m.
- Drug combo improves cancer survival 2:13 p.m.
- Cable falls on I-80; lanes reopened 2:11 p.m.
- Letters: Global warming a lie
272 - TCU to play Boise in Fiesta Bowl
207 - BYU football: Bronco weighs in on Hall
195 - Palin signs books, chats with fans
169 - Utah/BYU rivalry can be more civil
151 - Cougars going back to Vegas
150 - Andersen apologizes for Jordan hoax
142 - Nude bathers cited for lewdness
133 - Max Hall wants to look ahead
130 - Jazz fall apart late at L.A.
110
There was a time when free shipping was rare. This holiday season, you...
Love him or hate him, Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch knows how to get attention.
WOW... Another overhaul. Seems like we're overhauling, fundimentally...
I beg to differ. I was there last night and Natalie was terrific. She is...
Tiger Woods is up to 12 women now that came out. Is Wood's a progressive or a...
This was a mistake in my mind. Notre Dame needed to hire a defensive minded...
Just last year eveno admiting t republicans were start that global warming...
I got "sarcasm" for you Pagan...government run healthcare sounds scarier!
Areas of the country that have higher ratios of doctors to population have...
'"Take a min, calm down, relax, and approach it from a fresh perspective".' -...
I bet you said that same thing after they hired Weis...and after they hired...
the global warming alarmists are hiding their true agendas which are...


You can be the first to comment on this story.