In 2001, Utah received HRSA SPG funds to better understand the extent of uninsurance within the state. The objective of the grant was to determine the most effective methods to provide access to high quality, affordable health care to residents who earn up to 200 percent of the FPL.

The HRSA grant allowed the state to undertake many new data collection efforts, including a survey of Utah small employers, focus groups with individuals and employers, and key informant interviews with industry representatives. Additionally, the SPG team in Utah developed a discrete choice analysis program, which uses advanced modeling techniques to provide a better understanding of the values and preferences of a target population.

In part due to the SPG process, Utah developed a plan to provide benefits for primary and preventive services to residents who otherwise would not have access to health coverage. On February 9, 2001, then-Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Tommy G. Thompson formally approved Utah's request for a federal 1115 Medicaid demonstration waiver for the Utah Primary Care Network (PCN) to cover 25,000 residents. PCN was implemented in July 2002.

Final Interim Report, November 2001

Updated Interim Report, March 2002

HRSA Final Report, August 2004

Betit, R. "Background on Utah's New Medicaid Waiver," Utah Department of Health, May 2002.

Betit, R. "Utah's Primary Care Network: The Link to Inpatient Hospital Care," Utah Department of Health, February 2003.

State Coverage Initiatives, Profiles in Coverage: Utah's Primary Care Network, November 2003.