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House passes bill letting rural residents choose community hospitals if they live beyond 30-mile contracting zones
Summary
Senate Bill 95 codifies a practice allowing patients who live farther than 30 miles from an enrollee's contracting hospital to use their local community hospital; the House passed the bill unanimously, 70-0.
The Utah House approved Senate Bill 95 to codify an existing practice that lets residents who live beyond a 30-mile zone opt to use their community hospital rather than a contract hospital.
Representative Ferri explained the bill by citing a Dugway example in which a resident lived 31 miles from an independent hospital but 60 miles from the contracting hospital and was compelled by contract rules to travel farther for care. Ferri said SB95 makes clear the enrollee or patient may choose the community hospital when they live beyond the 30-mile zone.
He described the measure as consistent with how insurers and providers already operate in most cases and said the bill merely "makes it so it's the option of the enrollee or the person who needs the services." The House approved SB95 by voice and recorded vote, 70 yes and 0 no.
Supporters said the change prevents an administrative outcome that forces longer travel for routine care in rural areas; no fiscal or administrative objections were raised on the floor.
