SB 288 requires Utah's Department of Health and Human Services to establish quality standards for Medicaid providers (including managed care entities and fee-for-service providers) and annually report their performance to the legislature. It mandates a new "closed loop referral system" to coordinate social needs care (like housing or food assistance) for Medicaid-eligible individuals, ensuring secure communication and tracking of referrals between providers. The bill appropriates $42.7 million for fiscal year 2027 to fund these requirements, including $16.9 million from the General Fund. This directly affects Medicaid providers through performance evaluations and new reporting duties, while improving care coordination for Medicaid enrollees with social needs.
SB 281 creates a Senior Nutrition Private Donation Matching Fund to encourage private contributions for senior meal programs. Local area agencies serving seniors can qualify for matching funds when they secure new private donations (not from program recipients or in-kind donations) that exceed prior public entity donations by a specific amount. The fund matches these qualifying donations to support home-delivered meals, with distributions based on "area need" factors like senior population served and rural service costs. This directly affects local agencies managing senior nutrition services by providing a mechanism to leverage private funding without new state appropriations.
This bill makes permanent a budgeting mechanism that adjusts Medicaid reimbursement rates for applied behavior analysis (ABA) services based on Utah's General Fund revenue growth. It ensures ABA providers receive rate increases tied to the state's budget growth factor (e.g., 100% if growth is below 100%, or 102% if growth is 102% or higher). The policy directly affects Medicaid providers delivering ABA services to beneficiaries and ensures these rates stay aligned with reimbursement for similar services under Medicaid managed care plans. The bill does not appropriate new funding but modifies how existing funds are allocated to maintain these rate adjustments.
SB 158 expands Medicaid reimbursement eligibility to include licensed residential support programs accredited by the American Camp Association, directly affecting Medicaid beneficiaries receiving recreational therapy services in these facilities. The bill adds this program type to the existing list of covered settings (like hospitals and skilled nursing facilities) where qualified enrollees - those enrolled in Medicaid and referred by a mental health therapist - can access reimbursed services. It authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to seek necessary federal waivers to implement this change, with no new state funding required. The policy takes effect May 6, 2026, and focuses solely on expanding coverage eligibility without altering service criteria or beneficiary requirements.
HB 380 requires Utah hospitals to establish systems for tracking and reporting workplace violence incidents involving staff. Hospitals must record details like incident timing, victim job roles, perpetrator type (patient, visitor, or employee), and responses; prohibit retaliation against reporters; and submit quarterly data to medical/nursing leadership by November 2026. They must also maintain records for two years and provide annual reports to the state department. The bill also delays repealing enhanced criminal penalties for violence against health facility employees until 2032.
HB 383 amends Utah's Health and Human Services code to clarify operational procedures within the department. It removes rulemaking authority from the Primary Care Grant Committee, clarifies membership and independence for the Compassionate Use Board and Health Workforce Advisory Council, and updates rules for Medicaid dental benefits and disability service funding transitions. The bill also specifies that the department may establish rules for congregate care ombudsman services and clarifies hospital transfer procedures for individuals in correctional custody. These changes affect department staff, advisory boards, healthcare providers, and service recipients, but the bill contains no new funding or significant policy shifts.
HB 205 creates new pathways for substance use treatment within Utah's criminal justice system. It allows county jails to establish recovery housing pods for incarcerated individuals with substance use disorders, requiring approval by local substance abuse authorities and structured treatment programs. The bill also restricts syringe exchange programs to only distributing syringes (not other drug paraphernalia) and prohibits exchanges in public parks. Additionally, it authorizes courts to implement structured treatment programs for drug offenses and issue geographic "off-limits" orders for individuals charged with drug crimes. These changes primarily affect jails, local health authorities, and courts managing drug-related cases.
HB 402 creates a new state license specifically for emergency medical services (EMS) agencies to legally handle controlled substances (like naloxone or epinephrine) during emergencies. It requires EMS agencies to obtain this license, mandates record-keeping and storage rules, and authorizes the Division of Professional Licensing to enforce standards, deny/suspend licenses for violations, and collect fees. The bill directly affects all Utah EMS agencies currently distributing controlled substances, ensuring they operate under unified state regulations instead of relying solely on federal rules. Key provisions include requiring medical directors to issue standing orders for substance administration and setting clear procedures for license management and inspections.
SB 222 amends Utah's "Right to Try" law to expand access to investigational drugs. It removes the requirement that patients have a terminal illness, instead allowing individuals with serious conditions that pose significant risks compared to experimental treatments and limited conventional options to qualify. The bill updates definitions to clarify "eligible illness" and expands permissible medicinal dosage forms (e.g., adding transdermal and sublingual options). This change directly affects patients seeking experimental treatments who previously faced eligibility barriers due to non-terminal diagnoses. The law takes effect May 6, 2026, with no new funding required.
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.
