But there is a troubling inconsistency emerging here that we should all be mindful of. On one hand, we are one of the nation's most advanced states in medical sciences. On the other hand, we have far too many Utahns who cannot afford adequate health care.

It is unacceptable that a young father in Clarkston, Utah who works for a small business and wants to buy insurance for his family is denied coverage because of minor ailments. Should eczema or post-partum depression preclude a family from getting affordable health insurance?

What business or family in Utah hasn't experienced rising health care costs or, even worse, had to forgo treatment for lack of coverage? In Utah there are now more than 300,000 people without insurance. That's one out of every eight of us. And many more fear that losing or changing a job may leave them without health insurance.

In a state that prides itself on practical solutions, this issue is crying out for a fix.

For decades, the majority of Utahns were given health insurance by their employer. That's just the way it was and everyone assumed it would always be that way. But now the trend has reversed itself. Today only 44 percent of companies in Utah provide health insurance, and premium costs have doubled in just eight years.

We need to take this pressing issue into our own hands as citizens. We cannot wait for Washington's one-size-fits-all plan that does not account for Utah's unique challenges and abilities. Yes, this is a complex issue. If it were easy someone would have done it by now. Fortunately, we live in a State that believes in solutions.

Last year I called on leaders of the business community to actively engage with advocates, health care providers and insurers to craft an approach to this growing crisis. And they responded. Thanks to their hard work and the dedication of Representative David Clark and Senator Sheldon Killpack, we now have legislation that provides a framework for a major overhaul to our State's health care system. This is not just health care reform, but Health System Reform. It addresses every part of the system from individual responsibility to health care accessibility. Our approach must be consumer driven, focused on the individual and the family. We need insurance plans that are affordable and portable.

Whether families face childhood diabetes or a broken bone, they need health care to serve them throughout their challenges of life. We have a fractured system that is economically unsustainable.

This is a multi-year process, to be sure, but let us begin today!

When I began this journey as Governor three years ago, I did so with one clear goal: enhancing economic performance so we could dramatically improve the education our kids receive.