HB 343 amends Utah's Medicaid certification rules for nursing care facilities, primarily affecting facilities seeking to renew or transfer certification when relocating or renovating. The key change allows facilities with a previously approved two-year extension for relocation to request a longer four-year extension under specific circumstances, such as emergencies or documented need. It also clarifies requirements for maintaining certification during facility transitions, including written assurances to avoid disputes over facility ownership. The bill makes technical updates to existing code but does not appropriate new funds or change bed capacity rules without director approval. This streamlines certification continuity for facilities relocating within counties or within five miles of their original site.
HB 383 amends Utah's Health and Human Services code to clarify operational procedures within the department. It removes rulemaking authority from the Primary Care Grant Committee, clarifies membership and independence for the Compassionate Use Board and Health Workforce Advisory Council, and updates rules for Medicaid dental benefits and disability service funding transitions. The bill also specifies that the department may establish rules for congregate care ombudsman services and clarifies hospital transfer procedures for individuals in correctional custody. These changes affect department staff, advisory boards, healthcare providers, and service recipients, but the bill contains no new funding or significant policy shifts.
This bill makes permanent a budgeting mechanism that adjusts Medicaid reimbursement rates for applied behavior analysis (ABA) services based on Utah's General Fund revenue growth. It ensures ABA providers receive rate increases tied to the state's budget growth factor (e.g., 100% if growth is below 100%, or 102% if growth is 102% or higher). The policy directly affects Medicaid providers delivering ABA services to beneficiaries and ensures these rates stay aligned with reimbursement for similar services under Medicaid managed care plans. The bill does not appropriate new funding but modifies how existing funds are allocated to maintain these rate adjustments.
HB 339 requires the University of Utah Health to study whether a street medicine program could operate in Davis, Salt Lake, and Utah counties by 2027. It directs Utah's Department of Health to develop guidelines for street medicine providers by July 2026, covering Medicaid coverage and community resources. The bill defines "street medicine" as healthcare provided outside clinics to people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, such as those sleeping in vehicles, parks, or encampments. These guidelines and the feasibility study aim to create a framework for this type of care, with no new funding allocated.
SB 211 prevents defendants in personal injury lawsuits from using evidence about third-party payments (like insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid) to reduce compensation. It makes inadmissible any information about collateral sources, reduced medical bills, health care provider liens, or the plaintiff’s personal financial obligations for treatment. This directly affects plaintiffs who received medical care covered by insurance and defendants who previously tried to lower settlements based on pre-paid medical costs. The law requires courts to instruct juries not to consider these factors during trials.
HB 321 establishes that Utah's Department of Health and Human Services must pay University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics the standard Medicaid base rate (not higher rates) for inmate medical care when no contract exists, creating a savings mechanism. It requires the department to deposit 50% of these savings into a new "Inmate Medical Treatment Restricted Account" for correctional health services, while the other 50% returns to the General Fund. The bill mandates annual reports to legislative committees detailing the savings calculations and account balances. This directly affects state departments managing inmate healthcare, hospitals providing services, and incarcerated individuals receiving medical treatment. The policy changes focus on standardizing reimbursement rates and tracking cost savings without altering healthcare delivery.
HB 15 amends Utah's Medicaid expansion program to address potential reductions in federal funding. It changes the automatic end date for the expansion if federal matching funds decrease, requires the Department of Health and Human Services to terminate programs that would reduce federal funds, and mandates a report to the legislature if funding drops. The bill also allows the state tax funding Medicaid expansion to end if the program concludes. These changes directly affect Utah's Medicaid beneficiaries and the state's administration of the program, focusing on maintaining federal funding alignment without new state spending.
HB 71 requires health insurance companies (covered insurers) to help enrollees access behavioral health services (like mental health and substance use treatment) in a timely manner when in-network providers aren't available. Insurers must publish and regularly update accurate provider directories, facilitate out-of-network care within 7 days (or 24 hours for emergencies), and follow specific rules for single case agreements to cover out-of-network services. The bill also extends these requirements to Utah's Medicaid program and directs the state to create a working group to study a statewide behavioral health provider directory. These changes apply to all insurers offering behavioral health coverage, effective July 1, 2026.
