Utah Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. expects health insurers in the state to start providing more affordable options for residents by the end of the year. If carriers don’t, then Governor Huntsman might push for a health insurance mandate.
Health care reform in Utah has been a prominent issue in the past months, as it has been for much of the country.
In Utah, the state House of Representatives recently passed legislation that gives insurance companies a year to provide affordable plans. It also requires the governor and state Congress to come up with a reform plan, reported the Salt Lake Tribune.
One of the state’s largest health insurers, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah, seem to be on board.
“[Our new plans will] address health and wellness to a much greater degree than they have in the past, driving down costs and generating a more reasonable premium base for the consumer, ” said the president of Regence, Scott Ideson.
Governor Huntsman also wants to reduce the number of uninsured residents by expanding Medicaid and the state Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The House approved a bill removing the enrollment cap on the number of children on SCHIP coverage.
The governor is expecting to see changes happen in the future.
“I’m very willing to let this year play out to see where we find ourselves in a year. If that doesn’t work, then I think we’re looking very realistically at an individual mandate in getting us to where I think we need to be, ” he explained.