Health Care Reform Headlines Utah’s Legislative Session
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2008-01-22 13:40:13.915632-05:00
During Utah's state legislative session [Jan. 21 - March 5, 2008] AARP Utah is working to make quality health care more accessible and affordable, advocate for more rights for displaced mobile home owners, and towards legislation to enable the Department of Financial Institutions to collect basic data on payday lenders operating in the state.
Health Care Reform
Business, government and individuals all have a part to play in guaranteeing health care for all. Quality, affordability, and access are components that must be linked--if the health care system offers access but is not affordable it will not fulfill its goal of trying to keep people healthy.
Programs such as Medicaid and CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) provide health care for people in need of all ages. Innovative ways exist to expand the number of people served by private health care systems, but it should not be at the expense of the beneficiaries of these programs.
Another essential component of any health care system is the promotion of prevention programs and health screenings that will help ensure that care is provided when it is most effective and manageable.
Organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, United Way, U-SHARE (a broad-based coalition of which AARP Utah is a member) have offered health care reform principles and proposals for Utah. The Governor's Office of Economic Development has studied health care reform intensively for the last year at the direction of the legislature. AARP Utah will be working with these groups to ensure that health care reform serves all Utahns.
Mobile Home Owners' Rights
When a mobile home park is sold, Utahns currently only have 90 days to vacate once notice is given. This poses a substantial hardship on many mobile home owners, particularly if their home cannot be moved because of its age or condition. H.B. 48, sponsored by Rep. Phil Riesen, expands the notice requirement to 180 days for chance in land use and termination of the lease, with 365 days notice of when the tenant has to vacate. AARP Utah supports this legislation as providing additional protection to mobile home owners against undue hardship when their park is sold or the land use is changed.
Payday Lending Data Collection
Payday loans are very short-term products that charge on average $15 per $100 loaned for a two-week term. This translates to an annual interest rate (APR) of 390 percent, though there is no limit to what can be charged in Utah. The Department of Financial Institutions is not required to collect and disseminate data on the industry, which claims that people are highly satisfied with these loans and have no problems with repayment. However, according to a search conducted by the Utah District court small claims filings from Jan. 1 - Nov. 27, 2007, 7521 of 17,060 TOTAL claims filed were by 11 payday lenders, with Check City representing 3883 of this total. AARP Utah is working with the Department and legislators to ensure that reliable data and information can be collected.
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