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House unanimously passes bill to expand rural patients’ choice of provider beyond 30 miles
Summary
The House approved House Bill 146 (68–0) to let rural Utah residents seek care from out‑of‑area providers when no in‑plan provider exists within a 30‑mile radius; sponsors said the measure improves access and directs insurers to reimburse providers at a like amount.
The Utah House unanimously approved House Bill 146 on Feb. 1, passing the measure 68–0 and forwarding it to the Senate. Lawmakers described the bill as a bipartisan effort to improve access to health care for rural residents.
Representative Hayman, who moved the amendment, explained that the amendment refines how services beyond a 30‑mile radius are priced by changing the term from ‘‘average cost’’ to ‘‘amount’’ to make administration simpler. Hayman summarized the bill’s three core purposes: improve health care access for rural residents; permit rural residents to seek care from any provider or facility if no covered provider exists within 30 miles; and require insurers to reimburse rural providers at a ‘‘like amount.’’ He told the House, "This bill essentially allows a person living in Rural Utah to make a selection as to who will deliver that service if he is beyond a 30 mile radius."
Hayman told members that the bill was developed with participation from a broad set of stakeholders, naming the Health Policy Commission, Utah Department of Health, the Utah Association of Community Health Providers, the Utah Medical Association, Intermountain Healthcare and the Utah Nurses Association as participants in crafting the measure. Proponents argued the change would reduce travel burdens and encourage insurers and carriers to develop local provider networks.
Floor procedures included adopting a pink‑sheet amendment and briefly circling the bill to allow completion of amendment paperwork. After further explanation and support from several members who said rural areas in their districts would benefit, the House closed electronic voting and the clerk announced HB 146 received 68 yes votes and 0 no votes; the bill will be forwarded to the Senate.
The measure’s next step is Senate consideration; floor debate emphasized administration of pricing and insurer reimbursement methods but did not record substantive amendments to the reimbursement mechanism.
