Health-care bill gets thumbs-up

Utah's health-system overhaul got off to an auspicious start Friday afternoon: a governor-hosted news conference/pep rally for a bill that has been in the works more than a year and passed the House in less than half an hour — unanimously.

Making Utah's health care more accessible and more accountable is at the heart of the measure, which the sponsor of HB133, House Majority Leader David Clark, R-Santa Clara, repeatedly noted is just a first step on a long-haul repair job. His colleagues hailed it as marking the first hallmark moment in a new reformation.

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. considers it "the most important thing we could do as elected officials" if the spirit and collaboration are maintained by lawmakers and the representatives of private industry and public agencies who were on hand for the announcement.

"Today is the culmination of effort of people that brings us to the start of this effort," Clark told the packed room of reporters, lawmakers, state agency heads, health-care industry managers, businesses, insurance providers, patient advocates and citizen groups on hand for the announcement. "I hope to see this same throng 10 years from now when all we're planning and talking about today is up and running."

House members who spoke in favor of the bill less than an hour later pledged to carry what lawmakers in both chambers and on both sides of the aisle have lifted.

"This was a long time coming, and I believe this body and the community have come a long way," said Rep. David Litvack, D-Salt Lake, whose district is home to many low-income but working residents who have fallen through the cracks of the current health system. "We know there is going to be disagreement, but if we look closely at the plan and ask ourselves if we're asking the right questions, we will stay on the right track."

The bill as it stands is long on support but short on specifics. It calls for a task force, which historically has been the realm of side-stepping rather than handling an issue.

Both Huntsman and Clark said this health-care task force will be and must be different and will be put on a fast track toward proposed solutions and will meet often and openly to ensure real progress is being made.

They must move in a hurry to take advantage of federal waivers that must be obtained to make changes in the state's Children's Health Insurance Plan and other alterations of the joint state and federal Medicaid insurance benefits first on the list of system reforms.