This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2005, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Patients should be able to choose doctors outside their insurance plan without paying more, says Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, and 21 of his colleagues agree - for now.
Senate Bill 34 received a preliminary, 22-7 endorsement from the Senate on Tuesday, but several lawmakers signaled they may not vote for it in the final round.
"I don't think anybody knows where this is going to take us," said Sen. Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City. "I'm scared to death of this."
Last year's bill on the same subject never even received a public hearing. This year, the momentum has shifted, the result of Buttars' bulldog sponsorship and of growing lawmaker hostility toward Intermountain Health Care.
Sen. Parley Hellewell, R-Orem, said IHC has too much authority and Utahns are losing control of their health care choices because of it.
- Thomas Burr
