Healthcare

failed · Utah · Senate Mar 7, 2026

SB 137: Homeless Services Board Amendments

SB 137 amends Utah's Homeless Services Board by requiring two new members with health care expertise: one appointed by University of Utah Health and one by Utah's largest non-profit hospital system with multiple hospitals. This changes the board's composition to ensure direct representation from health care providers specializing in physical or mental health. The bill makes no new services or funding changes - it only adjusts membership requirements. The board's existing structure and responsibilities remain unchanged.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAdds healthcare expertise to homeless services board, ensuring health provider input on services impacting health outcomes per bill's explicit membership requirement.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill amends homeless services board to include health care expertise, strengthening governance for homelessness (a core housing policy area) without new funding or services.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Mental Health Homelessness

Track

in committee · Utah · Senate Mar 7, 2026

SB 113: Medical Prescription Amendments

SB 113 extends the validity period for prescriptions of Schedule V controlled substances (like certain cough medicines and anti-diarrheal medications) from one year to two years. This change directly affects healthcare providers who write these prescriptions and patients needing ongoing treatment for conditions like chronic pain or allergies. The bill amends Utah Code sections 58-17b-609 and 58-37-6 to allow prescriptions to remain valid for up to two years without requiring renewal, while maintaining existing rules for higher-schedule drugs (Schedules I-IV). The policy change has no associated funding and applies only to low-risk medications under Schedule V.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends prescription validity for Schedule V substances, improving patient access to ongoing treatment (e.g., chronic pain/allergies) and reducing provider burden without requiring frequent renewals.95% confidence

Track

signed · Utah · House Feb 27, 2026

HB 356: Drug Distribution Amendments

HB 356 clarifies Utah's rules for the federal 340B drug discount program, which provides discounted medications to eligible healthcare organizations. It defines key terms like "340B covered entity" (e.g., hospitals or clinics participating in the federal program) and prohibits drug manufacturers from restricting contracts between pharmacies and these entities or requiring excessive data sharing beyond federal requirements. The bill directly affects 340B-covered entities, pharmacies, and drug manufacturers by ensuring they cannot interfere with program participation or impose unnecessary conditions. It makes technical updates to Utah law without new funding, aligning state rules with federal program standards.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill clarifies 340B program rules to prevent drug manufacturers from restricting contracts or requiring excessive data sharing, strengthening access to discounted medications for covered entities and improving patient access to affordable drugs.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 73: Online Age Verification Amendments

SB 73 requires online platforms providing content deemed harmful to minors to implement age verification systems. It imposes an excise tax on these platforms, with revenues funding mental health programs and enforcement through the Division of Consumer Protection. The bill creates two dedicated accounts for these funds and grants the Division authority to investigate violations, impose fines, and establish verification standards. Platforms failing to comply face civil penalties, while approved verification methods receive a safe harbor from liability.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill imposes excise tax on platforms to fund mental health programs and enforcement, directly allocating tax revenue to public services per Budget & Taxes topic description.92% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill allocates excise tax revenues to fund mental health programs, directly advancing mental health services under healthcare topic.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates age verification for minors' safety on platforms, funds mental health via tax, aligns with consumer protection regulations in tech governance.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax Mental Health Online Safety Social Media

signed · Utah · House Mar 26, 2026

HB 416: First Responder Health Modifications

HB 416 creates the Firefighter Cancer Benefit Trust Fund to provide financial support for firefighters diagnosed with cancer presumed to be work-related. The bill redirects existing revenue from property and life insurance premiums (specifically 50% of the first $4 million from property insurance tax and 10% of the first $1 million from life insurance tax) to fund this trust, replacing prior allocations. The trust fund, administered by an 11-member board (including firefighters, fire chiefs, medical experts, and officials), will cover benefits for affected firefighters and their families, with assets protected from creditor claims. This bill modifies tax distribution rules without new appropriations, directly affecting Utah firefighters with presumptive cancer diagnoses under existing law.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects existing property/life insurance tax revenue to fund firefighter cancer benefits, aligning with funding essential programs via budget reallocation.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProvides financial support for cancer treatment via a trust fund, advancing healthcare access for firefighters diagnosed with work-related cancer.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates trust fund for firefighter cancer benefits, expanding worker health protections and financial support for work-related illnesses under Labor & Employment.95% confidence

signed · Utah · House Mar 17, 2026

HB 258: Insurance Coverage Amendments

HB 258 requires health insurance plans in Utah to cover reversal treatments for gender transition if the plan covers transition-related care. Specifically, plans covering hormonal transgender treatments must also cover reversal hormonal treatments, and plans covering surgical sex transition procedures must cover reversal surgeries. This applies to all health benefit plans renewed or entered into on or after January 1, 2027. The bill directly affects insurers and policyholders by mandating this coverage, without appropriating funds or adding new administrative requirements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for gender transition reversal treatments, expanding access to healthcare services for transgender individuals under covered plans.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

signed · Utah · House Mar 17, 2026

HB 264: Prescription Medication Amendments

HB 264 modifies Utah's prescription medication rules to streamline pharmacy operations. It removes the requirement for pharmacies to notify providers when substituting medications (as authorized by the prescription), allows prescription refills to remain valid for two years, and establishes new rules for standing prescriptions issued by the Department of Health and Human Services. Standing prescriptions must be limited to specific conditions, FDA-approved diagnoses, and clinically appropriate treatments. These changes primarily affect pharmacies, patients receiving refills, and healthcare providers who write prescriptions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows two-year prescription refills and removes substitution notification requirements, improving patient access to medications and streamlining pharmacy operations.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

passed · Utah · House Mar 7, 2026

HB 216: Child Support Calculation Amendments

HB 216 amends Utah's child support law to exclude Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits from the gross income calculation used to determine child support payments. This change directly affects parents who receive SSDI, ensuring these disability benefits are not counted as income when calculating their child support obligation. The bill modifies Utah Code Section 81-6-203 by adding SSDI to a list of excluded benefits, alongside other means-tested programs like Medicaid and SNAP. This adjustment aligns with existing exclusions for similar benefits and prevents SSDI recipients from having these funds considered as available income for support payments. The change takes effect May 6, 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExcludes SSDI (disability benefits) from child support calculations, protecting access to healthcare-related disability benefits per Utah Code changes.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

Track

signed · Utah · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 343: Nursing Care Facility Program Amendments

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables longer Medicaid certification extensions for nursing facilities during relocations/renovations, ensuring continued service access and compliance with healthcare program requirements.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care Medicaid

signed · Utah · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 417: Patient Interfacility Transportation Requirements

HB 417 allows patients to use non-medical transportation (like family rides or public transit) for moving between healthcare facilities when their condition doesn't require ambulance transport. It requires hospitals to provide written notices explaining why ambulance isn't needed, potential insurance coverage issues, and cost details, and to help arrange the transport. Receiving facilities cannot charge for admission or readmission if the patient arrives within two hours of discharge without a medical condition change, and must hold the offered bed. The bill also protects hospitals from liability when non-medical transport is permitted under the specified conditions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows non-medical transport between facilities, requires cost transparency, prevents admission fees for timely arrivals, improving patient access and reducing financial barriers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Insurance Tags Public Safety