S.B. 121 Enrolled

ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE AND COVERAGE
TASK FORCE
2001 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Sponsor: Peter C. Knudson
This act creates the Access to Health Care and Coverage Task Force. The act specifies
membership, responsibilities, and reporting dates for the task force. The act appropriates
$37,000 from the General Fund for fiscal year 2000-01 to fund the task force and repeals the
task force on November 30, 2001.
This act enacts uncodified material.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Access to health care and coverage -- Findings -- Creation -- Membership
-- Quorum -- Compensation -- Staff.
(1) There is created the Access to Health Care and Coverage Task Force consisting of the
following ten members:
(a) three members of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate, no more than
two of whom may be from the same political party;
(b) five members of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the House
of Representatives, no more than three of whom may be from the same political party;
(c) the executive director of the Department of Health or his designee; and
(d) the commissioner of the Department of Insurance or his designee.
(2) (a) The president of the Senate shall designate a member of the Senate appointed under
Subsection (1)(a) as a cochair of the task force.
(b) The speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate a member of the House
of Representatives appointed under Subsection (1)(b) as a cochair of the task force.
(3) A majority of the members of the task force constitute a quorum. The action of a
majority of a quorum constitutes the action of the task force.
(4) (a) Salaries and expenses of the members of the task force who are legislators shall be
paid in accordance with Section 36-2-2 and Legislative Joint Rule 15.03.

(b) A member of the task force who is not a legislator may not receive compensation for
their work associated with the task force, but may receive per diem and reimbursement for travel
expenses incurred as a member of the task force at the rates established by the Division of Finance
under Sections 63A-3-106 and 63A-3-107 .
(5) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall provide staff support to
the task force.
Section 2. Duties -- Interim report.
(1) The task force shall review and make recommendations on the following:
(a) options for improving access to health care coverage and access to primary care for
Utah's uninsured population. Consideration shall be given to options that:
(i) focus attention on those who are most in need;
(ii) strike an appropriate and effective balance between private and public sector approaches;
and
(iii) build on existing systems of proven effectiveness;
(b) the integration of information and analysis provided by the Department of Health, the
United States Health Care Financing Administration, the United States Office of Disease Prevention
and Health Promotion, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and other relevant
agencies regarding:
(i) the number of Utahns who are currently uninsured and who could obtain coverage under
each option;
(ii) federal waivers and other options available to states for expanding health coverage and
increasing access to primary care;
(iii) costs and potential savings associated with each option, and mechanisms for financing
each option;
(iv) the effect of each option on cost-shifting, uncompensated care, and existing programs
and systems;
(v) the expected outcomes and costs to individuals and the state of not expanding health
coverage and access to primary care; and

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(vi) the state's progress in implementing the health care access goals of the Federal Healthy
People 2010 Program.
(2) In reviewing and making its recommendations, the task force shall receive input from
stake holders in the health care system. A final report, including any proposed legislation, shall be
presented to the Health and Human Services Interim Committee before November 30, 2001.
Section 3. Appropriation.
There is appropriated from the General Fund for fiscal year 2000-01:
(1) $4,500 to the Senate to pay for the compensation and expenses of senators on the task
force;
(2) $7,500 to the House of Representatives to pay for the compensation and expenses of
representatives on the task force; and
(3) $25,000 to the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel to pay for staffing
the task force.
Section 4. Repeal date.
This act is repealed November 30, 2001.

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