Bringing common sense to healthcare

Kylee Boyter

Contributing Writer

In a decade's time, from 2008 to 2018, health insurance premiums rose 40% and deductibles for health insurance rose 74% according to the Utah Foundation, making Utahns' out-of-pocket expenses the eighth highest in the United States.

"Concerned by these statistics, a number of Utah physicians, activists, and business professionals created Common Sense Health Care for Utah," said Dr. Joseph Jarvis, an occupational medicine specialist, and CSHCU chairman.

On Feb. 6, Jarvis, alongside other medical professionals and Utah citizens presented their concerns regarding the healthcare issues its residents face daily at the Utah capitol. Dr. Ami Robinson spoke about her personal experience after being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.

"I had three options, take the ineffective medicine that my insurance recommended and continue to suffer, impoverish my family by paying tens of thousands of dollars for the care I needed, or my doctor offered the option to participate in the trial of a new drug," said Robinson.

She accepted the option of participating in the drug trial, in hopes of not receiving the placebo and that the experimental drug would work for her.

"I chose the drug study and gambled and luckily I won," said Robinson. "But no one should have to be faced with this choice."

Robinson explained that no one should have to gamble with their health when insurance companies choose profit margins over life-saving options.

"We believe every single patient's stories matter and is important," said Jarvis.

CSHCU has embarked upon a tour around the state to share its message and hear from citizens. It was in Utah Feb. 10, but attendance was sparse.

The goal of the listening tour is to gain insight and perspectives from across the state of Utah, similar to Dr. Robinson's, to learn about Utahn's experiences with the current healthcare system and to improve the legislature to support the need of citizens, not insurance companies.

"We aim to incorporate the best ideas of all Utahns into a single policy that will cover every Utah patient, protect the freedom to choose your doctor, and lower the costs for everyone," said Jarvis. "Then we plan to bring our proposal before the voters in the form of a ballot initiative."

Due to the extreme increase in medical expenses, an estimated 429,000 Utahns were unable to receive the health care they desperately needed in 2018 because they simply couldn't afford it.

In 2022, the CSHCU commissioned the University of Utah's Matheson Center for Health Care Studies to examine the healthcare expenditures of Utah residents. They found that $28 billion will be annually spent on health care in Utah.

"As American citizens, we pay the world's highest tax rate for health care, and on top of this, every Utahn spends on average $2,800 more out of pocket," said Jarvis. "This is the same cost for men, women, and children in the state of Utah."

CSHCU believes that the state of Utah has the power to make the changes necessary to increase quality care, refocus the attention on the patients, lower financial burdens, and provide Utah families with the much-needed relief to receive the care they need.

"Bring us your ideas, be a part of this, and help us reform," said Jarvis. "We need to incorporate the best ideas we get and bring the decision to the voters."

The CSHCU hopes local communities will get involved and help them bring common sense back to health care.

"We also don't intend to make this a one-time stop," said Jarvis. "This project requires a couple of years of work and campaign. If people want us to come back and do more presentations, we would be happy to do so."

To get involved and share your stories, visit commonsensehealthcareutah.org. The listening tour next went to Cedar City and St. George on Feb. 13, Price's city hall on Feb. 14, and will be at Moab's Grand County public library on Feb. 14.

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