By guaranteeing their open participation in a two-year task force, IHC executives headed off any number of punitive actions lawmakers were contemplating, including a new 3 percent tax, the forced selling of their health insurance division and the loss of their tax-exempt status.

Adversaries became collaborators as Sen. Michael Waddoups and IHC CEO Bill Nelson put their arms around each other before a gathering of legislative leaders and news media. Waddoups even jokingly sang out "Kumbaya."

"Together, let's make sure we are providing care in the best way possible for the people in Utah," Nelson said.

Minutes later, Waddoups, a Republican from Taylorsville, introduced a new softer Senate Bill 61, the fifth version of the controversial measure. It passed on a unanimous vote with every Republican senator signed on as a co-sponsor.

The new spirit of togetherness doesn't mean Waddoups and other legislators have let IHC off the hook entirely. Some still worry the health care giant is too large, pushing out competition, controlling access to doctors and haranguing those who don't pay their bills promptly.

"I think the concerns are still there," Waddoups said.

The latest version of SB61 creates a 15-member task force comprised of legislators who will employ experts in the health care field to study a specific list of topics during the next two years.

That list includes:

l IHC's market penetration, which some say is too dominant.

l The impact of forcing IHC to sell its health insurance company.

l IHC's tax-exempt status and the definition of charitable care.

l IHC's billing practices.

Legislative leaders have already agreed to earmark $400,000 to pay for "disinterested" health care experts to help lawmakers examine IHC's policies.

Nelson and IHC Chairman Merrill Gappmayer joined Senate President John Valentine and House speaker Greg Curtis in signing a non-binding "Memorandum of Understanding Thursday. Valentine, an attorney, said while not legally binding, the pact would be "enforceable in the court of public opinion."

The memorandum includes a promise to release contracts, prices, trade secrets and proprietary records to the task force. IHC also agreed to an advertising blitz, similar to their campaign against previous versions of SB61, to inform the public of their participation in the task force and its conclusion.

Waddoups said the compromise satisfies his objections, and that the punitive measures were the only a way to get IHC to the negotiating table.

Nelson said if the latest version of SB61 was the first version he never would have felt like his company was under attack.

"There were misunderstandings on both sides when this started out five weeks ago," he said.

Now IHC and lawmakers have 104 weeks to understand each other a little better.

mcanham@sltrib.com