H.J.R. 27

1

AUTHENTIC CHARITY HEALTH CARE JOINT
2 RESOLUTION
3 2010 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Chief Sponsor: Merlynn T. Newbold
6 Senate Sponsor: Wayne L. Niederhauser
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This joint resolution of the Legislature recognizes authentic charity care and urges
11 community, citizen, and medical community support of authentic charity care
12 throughout the state.
13 Highlighted Provisions:
14 This resolution:
15 . recognizes authentic charity care as a key component of state health care policy;
16 . expresses support for preserving the integrity of authentic charity care as medical
17 care provided without cost to patients and without payment, or government
18 reimbursement, to providers;
19 . urges community leaders and the citizens of Utah to become community partners
20 with existing authentic charity care clinics;
21 . urges the citizens of Utah to consider voluntarily supporting Utah's existing charity
22 care clinics, to assist in establishing clinics in communities where they do not
23 currently exist, and to seek out opportunities to collaborate and coordinate
24 charitable health care efforts throughout the state; and
25 . urges Utah's medical professionals and health care providers to turn their collective
26 attention and benevolence to providing authentic charity care throughout the state.
27 Special Clauses:

28 None
29
30 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
31 WHEREAS, as state health policy relies largely on the free market to address issues of
32 access and affordability, it relies equally on state and federal governments to address the needs
33 of Utahns for whom health care is beyond their financial reach;
34 WHEREAS, as government-provided health care continues to grow as a proportion of
35 the Utah State budget, with no sign of slowing, and as greater pressure is exerted to expand
36 government health care programs, budgetary constraints preclude an increased government
37 response;
38 WHEREAS, authentic charity care is medical care provided to those in need without
39 cost to the patient and without payment, or government reimbursement, to providers;
40 WHEREAS, authentic charity care relies on the volunteer services of medical
41 professionals and the voluntary contributions of private donors;
42 WHEREAS, authentic charity care is an existing, though underutilized and
43 underdeveloped, option to provide medical care for Utah's indigent and needy uninsured;
44 WHEREAS, authentic charity care has its historic roots in the establishment of the
45 American hospital system;
46 WHEREAS, the medical profession, especially the American hospital system, was once
47 motivated primarily by authentic charity care;
48 WHEREAS, today, authentic charity care has been diminished by government
49 regulation, expanded government welfare assistance, and less discretionary income due to the
50 burden of higher taxes;
51 WHEREAS, examples of authentic charity care can be found throughout Utah,
52 including the Maliheh Free Clinic and Shriners Hospital in Salt Lake City;
53 WHEREAS, Utah's authentic charity care clinics provide quality medical care to
54 thousands of indigent and needy uninsured patients at a fraction of the cost of market and
55 government-driven health care programs;
56 WHEREAS, Utah's authentic charity care clinics unite divided communities, permit
57 medical professionals to reclaim their charitable roots, build good will, and reaffirm kindness,
58 generosity, and gratitude as staples of moral human behavior throughout society;

59 WHEREAS, authentic charity care meets the broad criteria of reasonable people
60 searching for lasting solutions to the challenge of caring for Utah's indigent and needy
61 uninsured; and
62 WHEREAS, authentic charity care is universal, nondiscriminatory, inexpensive to
63 provide, effective in delivery, and sufficient for basic health care needs:
64 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
65 recognizes authentic charity care as a key component of state health care policy.
66 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature expresses support for preserving
67 the integrity of authentic charity care as medical care provided without cost to patients and
68 without payment, or government reimbursement, to providers.
69 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature urges community leaders and the
70 citizens of Utah to become community partners with existing authentic charity care clinics.
71 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature urges the citizens of Utah to
72 consider voluntarily supporting Utah's existing charity care clinics, to assist in establishing
73 clinics in communities where they do not currently exist, and to seek out opportunities to
74 collaborate and coordinate charitable health care efforts throughout the state.
75 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature urges Utah's medical professionals
76 and health care providers to turn their collective attention and benevolence to providing
77 authentic charity care throughout the state.
78 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to Governor
79 Herbert, the Utah Department of Health, the Utah Association of Counties, the Utah League of
80 Cities and Towns, and to the Utah Medical Association.




Legislative Review Note
as of 1-29-10 3:43 PM

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel