The award, which recognizes people "who conquer huge obstacles and take commanding action" to tackle health care issues, comes with $125,000. Hilman plans to use most of the money to draw additional support from local foundations and donors.
She receives her award today in San Diego.
The executive director of the Utah Health Policy Project, Hilman thinks of herself as "a catalyst for a communitywide response to the health care crisis." The crisis - and dialogue about how to address it - is coming to a head in the state's reform task force.
"Medicaid is under attack. We have this opportunity to cover our uninsured with health system reform launching," she said.
Elizabeth Garbe, coverage initiatives director for the UHHP, said Hilman is "passionate and has worked really hard to make sure Utah has an affordable, quality health care system for everyone in Utah. This is just a great honor."
Hilman was among 800 people nominated for the award. The foundation selected people who "have worked to improve health conditions in their communities with exceptional creativity, courage and commitment."
Janice Ford Griffin, national program director for the award, said Hilman "is fearless and relentless in persuading policymakers to understand the consequences of their actions - and that their opportunities to improve access to quality health care will improve the quality of life for the entire state."
Hilman co-founded UHPP in 2006 as a direct response to the hundreds of thousands of Utahns living without health insurance. Since that time, she has worked to help low-income and medically underserved residents, including those enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP.
Some of Hilman's accomplishments highlighted by the foundation include:
➤ Restoring eligibility and medically necessary Medicaid services for thousands of lowincome adults.
➤ Advocating for the passage of Senate Bill 42, which implemented a cost-cutting preferred drug list in the state's Medicaid program and established a mechanism to reinvest savings in improving access to care.
➤ Helping to reopen and fully fund CHIP to serve 12,000 uninsured children annually.
