| Members Present: Sen. Allen M. Christensen, Chair Rep. James A. Dunnigan, Chair Sen. Gene Davis Sen. Evan J. Vickers Rep. Francis D. Gibson Rep. Suzanne Harrison Rep. Marie H. Poulson Rep. Robert M. Spendlove | Members Absent: Sen. Ann Millner Rep. Stewart E. Barlow Rep. Brad M. Daw Staff Present: Mr. Mark D. Andrews, Policy Analyst Ms. Karin M. Rueff, Policy Analyst Mr. Daniel M. Cheung, Associate General Counsel Mr. Nathan Erickson, Administrative Assistant |
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Note: A copy of related materials and an audio recording of the
meeting can be found at www.le.utah.gov.
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| Chair Dunnigan called the meeting to order at 1:12 p.m. |
| 1. Medicaid Eligibility Expansion - Implementation Update |
| 2.1 Medicaid Adult Expansion Bridge Plan Report |
| Nate Checketts, Deputy Director, Medicaid and Health Financing, Utah Department of Health, reported on the expansion of Medicaid eligibility pursuant to pathways established by 2019 S.B. 96, Medicaid Expansion Adjustments. |
| 2. Committee Business |
| MOTION: Sen. Christensen moved to approve the minutes from the June 17, 2019, meeting. The motion passed with a vote of 7-0-4. | |||
| Yeas - 7 | Nays-0 | Abs-4 | |
| Sen. A. Christensen Sen. G. Davis Rep. J. Dunnigan Rep. F. Gibson Rep. S. Harrison Rep. M. Poulson Rep. R. Spendlove | Rep. S. Barlow Rep. B. Daw Sen. A. Millner Sen. E. Vickers |
| 3. In-Home Care |
| 3.6 Utah Association for Home Care Presentation |
| Clay Watson, President, Utah Association for Home Care; Kevin Watcott, President, Personal Care Section of the Utah Association for Home Care; and David Stong, representing skilled home care for the Utah Association for Home Care, gave a report on the impacts of additional funding appropriated for home care services during the 2019 General Session, including potential savings attributable to caring for individuals in home rather than institutional settings. |
| Clay Watson addressed the committee. |
| Kevin Whatcott addressed the committee. |
| David Stong addressed the committee. |
| Chair Dunnigan invited public comment. |
| Sean Donovan, explained the benefit of home health services received by his daughter. |
| Matt Hansen, Past President, Utah Association for Home Care, expressed appreciation for the Legislature's increased funding of home health services, noted the funding has led to increased access to services, and indicated the association is continuing to look at innovative ways to reduce the cost of care and improve the quality of life for patients. |
| 4. Healthcare Costs - Options for State Policymakers |
| 4.3.2 Healthcare Costs -- Options for State Policymakers |
| Dr. Matt Eisenberg and Dr. Amber Willink, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University; and Dr. Ge Bai, Carey Business School, Johns Hopkins University, gave a presentation on the capacity of Utah employers to bargain with hospitals for lower healthcare prices. The researchers concluded that Utah employers would have to band together to affect prices and discussed attempts by employers in other states to do that. |
| 4.9 Update on RFP for Value-Based Payment Pilots (Source: PEHP) |
| Chet Loftis, Director, Public Employees Health Program, gave a presentation on PEHP's response to 2019 S.C.R. 4, “Concurrent Resolution Directing Creation of a Request for Payment Pilot Program,” which required the program to contract for healthcare services using a value-based payment methodology. |
| Dr. Russell Vinik, Chief Medical Officer, University of Utah Health Plans; Sean Dunroe, Assistant Vice President for Product Development, Business Development and Strategy, SelectHealth; Marc Bennett, President & CEO, Comagine Health; and Steve Foxley, Blue Cross Blue Shield, spoke on the use and potential expansion of value-based plan designs in the private health insurance market. |
| 5. Surprise Billing |
| 5.0.1 (August Update) Surprise Billing: An Overview of State and Federal Legislation |
| Mark Andrews, Policy Analyst, Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel, briefed the task force on recent changes to proposed federal legislation addressing unexpected billing by out-of network healthcare providers. |
| 5.0.2 Private-to-Medicare Price Ratios in Utah ER |
| Dr. Eisenberg and Dr. Bai presented an analysis of out-of-network billing in Utah and options for addressing the issue. |
| William Potter, firefighter paramedic, shared his experience with surprise billing. |
| 5.3 Statement by Carrolyn Allen |
| Chair Dunnigan read a statement by Carrolyn Allen and provided a few additional details. |
| Chair Dunnigan invited public comment. |
| Brian Allen, America's Health Insurance Plans, reported that a recent study indicated that the number of in-network doctors in health insurance plans representing 96% of covered lives in California increased on average by 16% following passage of California's 2016 surprise billing law that included benchmark rates for reimbursement of out-of-network providers. |
| Michelle McOmber, Utah Medical Association, indicated that her association has data on California that differs from what Mr. Allen reported and that her association would not encourage adopting the California law to address surprise billing. |
| 6. Adjourn |
| MOTION: Sen. Davis moved to adjourn. The motion passed with a vote of 4-0-7. | |||
| Yeas - 4 | Nays-0 | Abs-7 | |
| Sen. G. Davis Rep. J. Dunnigan Rep. M. Poulson Rep. R. Spendlove | Rep. S. Barlow Sen. A. Christensen Rep. B. Daw Rep. F. Gibson Rep. S. Harrison Sen. A. Millner Sen. E. Vickers |
| Chair Dunnigan adjourned the meeting at 3:54 p.m. |