The Utah Senate has granted approval for a new legislation that would require the state to follow the same health insurance mandates imposed on the private sector. The bill will have a significant effect on health insurance for public and higher education departments. When the bill is signed into law, these departments will have their insurance programs funded by the state government. Legislators have been promising to include these departments into funding plans for several years, but have been slow to do so.
The bill still needs to make its way through the House of Representatives, but supporters believe it will survive the process. Opponents of the bill claim that it will put too much financial pressure on the state as it would be required to provide health care for state employees in the public and higher education sectors. Some lawmakers are concerned that if the bill is signed into law it will signal the end to other insurance legislations as the state will quickly see a significant amount of its budget disappear.
There are several other insurance legislations being considered by lawmakers, but only one has won the favor of the Senate majority thus far. Supporters of the legislation believe that it is the best option for state employees, especially those working in education. These employees have long fallen by the wayside in terms of legislative action, a problem that lawmakers are working to rectify.
