Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, in partnership with University of Utah Health, has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals in eight pediatric specialties. Intermountain Primary Children’s was ranked among the nation’s top children’s hospitals for cancer care, cardiology and heart surgery, gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, neonatal … Read more
The federal Center for Optimizing Rural Health (CORH) is accepting applications for the Vulnerable Rural Hospital Assistance Program, which provides free technical support to rural hospitals through guidance, resources, and recommendations. The program aims to address economic challenges faced by hospitals. Applications for the program—which is in its 5th year—opened on June 1st and will … Read more
Jared Sanford is the President and CEO of Valley Behavioral Health in Utah. Before Valley, Sanford was President and CEO of Lifeline Connections, a substance use and mental health treatment facility in Vancouver, WA. In this Q&A, Sanford talks with State of Reform about how workforce shortages are impacting Valley’s work, how the workforce shortage … Read more
The end of the public health emergency (PHE) presents risk to those who received Medicaid coverage throughout the pandemic, but might not be eligible when redeterminations begin again. At our 2022 Utah State of Reform Health Policy Conference, Stephen Foxley, Government Affairs Director of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah, sat down with us to discuss … Read more
In the midst of the tremendous challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, which included significant health impacts and widespread layoffs, the federal government began its fiscal response to help prop up the U.S. economy. A report released [recently] by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute details the federal government’s 2020 and 2021 fiscal policy (i.e., … Read more
Utah’s reported COVID-19 cases have been going up significantly in the past 2 weeks. But hospitalizations and emergency room visits are low compared to earlier surges, said Leisha Nolen, MD, Utah’s State Epidemiologist. According to the New York Times, Utah’s confirmed COVID-19 cases rose by 66% in the last 2 weeks. However, that only includes … Read more
The Utah Department of Health (DOH), Department of Human Services (DHS), and State Board of Education partnered to release a report on the health status of Utah adolescents. The report found continued increases in mental health struggles in Utah children, but also found a decrease in substance use. The report’s findings use data … Read more
The Utah Department of Human Services (DHS) and Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital have expanded the Stabilization and Mobile Response (SMR) program to 8 additional counties. The program brings stabilization services and follow-up visits to children undergoing a mental health crisis—either in-person or through behavioral health—free of charge. SMR is expanding in-person services to Wasatch, Utah, … Read more
SelectHealth announced an agreement with the University of Utah Health (U of U) earlier this month which adds U of U hospitals, clinics, and providers into the SelectHealth Medicare Advantage network. The agreement aims to meet the growing demand for services among SelectHealth Medicare Advantage members and will be effective July 1st, 2022. … Read more
Interim talks in the Utah Legislature echo similar unresolved themes as the recently ended legislative session, including lowering the cost of health care while improving quality, expanding behavioral health services, and expanding the safety net. The Health and Human Services Interim Committee met for the first time on Wednesday to discuss the interim study items, … Read more