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Show ‘The Salt Lake Tribune Health care ratings mixed its Medicaid health care (77.2 budgeting had some effect on age, 74.5 percent, and the na state providers falling behind the national averages. Funding has remained tight, even as Medicaid rolls steadily increase. Molinafared best in two categories: How well its doctors communicate with patients and overall customer service. Wu Xu, director of the Office of Healthcare Statistics, said the findings show Utah health care services despite some areas for concern are generally strong and improving. “There were no big surpris es,” she said. “As in the past, Utah has done pretty well and consumersatisfaction is high.” Commercial HMOs did well in preventive carefor adults, di- tional average, 71.9 percent). In cian” performance won an 85 respectively As for THC’s health-plan rat percent approval rating com pared to 81.8 percent statewide and 76.2 percent nationally Healthy U won recognition for its “courteous office staff” (92.6 percent, compared to 91.5 ing, it trailed the nation 61 per for the state and 88.6 percent na cent to 58 percent, but still led Utah competitors Regence HealthWise (55 percent), Altius tionally). It also had a top-rated 75.7 percent for providing (53), Cigna (48) and United (43) percent, the United States 72.4 percent) Healthy U's 67.9 percent rat ing was the best whencustomers assessed the overall quality of their Medicaid health plan. The to 70 percent “I'm satisfied with the [in state] scores, but I won't be en tirely pleased until we are the best we can be in all categories,” Paulson said His corporation's entry in the tudy’s Medicaid Health Plans weument the IHC Preferred Provider Network shared performance leadership with the needed care (Utah averaged 73.3 Utah average was 65.8 percent, abetic blood sugar testing rates although the U's plan trailed the and Caesarean sections. Utah's commercial HMOs were markedly below national ratings for child preventivecare, prenatal and postpartum care, combined child immunizations, breast and cervical cancer screenings, and diabetics with “poorly controlled” blood-sugarlevels. bmims@sltrib.com national satisfaction average of 69.7 percent. ing to top the “getting care quickly” category, bettering the All in all, a good report card, said Byron Okutsu, director of managed care for Healthy U. “It looks like we’re number one or two in nearly every cate z0ory,” he said. “Sometimesthere may be access issues to reach national average by nearly 6 certain specialists, but our care percentage points; overall, Utah is always ranked up there near the top.” University of Utah's Healthy U program and Molina Healthcare of Utah IHC received a 78 percent rat plans rated a 77 percent mark IHC also claimed honors for ; Okutsu suggested J J| ] |ONbd/ Eurocontinues climbagainst dollar Huttanus said. Even Thursday’s rise, for the By Geir MouLSON The Associated Press BERLIN The euro reached a freshall-time high against the U.S. dollar Thursday, climbing to $1.2436 as it pursued a relentless rise rooted in concerns about the U.S. budgetand tradedeficits. The euro has now risen by more than 18 percent against the greenback since the beginning of this year, setting a string of new records since Nov. 28 in a surge from below $1.20. The new high surpassed the mark of $1.2420 set Wednesday, but the European currency dropped back to $1.2383 later, in midday trading in New York. With little economic data to influence markets, the dollar’s continuing decline reflected persistent worries about the U.S. budget and trade deficits even as Europe’s economic recovery lags the upturn in the United States. “This is market momentum,” said Dorothea Huttanus, an economist at DZ Bank in Frankfurt. “It’s down to the old reasons, a trend that is pushing itself along.” The 12-nation European currency could break through the $1.25 mark for the first time when trading slows next week aheadof the Christmas holidays. Thin trading tends to magnify exchange rate swings. “Economic data just aren’t in at the moment,” eighth consecutive month, in Germany's muchwatched Ifo index of business confidence was not a factorin the latest euro record, she added. Thedollar’s slide has continued after both U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow and the European Central Bank (ECB) signaled in recent days that they have no immediate concerns about the euro’s strength. ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal published Thursday, refused to be drawn on whether he believes the eurois too strong. “T don’t like ‘too strong’ and ‘too weak’ as adjectives.. .. There is a great difference in being up or down on a long-term basis in the floating ex- change system and pursuing strong and stable currencies,” he said The Bush administration says it has a strong dollar policy, but many observers think it is not unhappyoverthe decline since it could help exporters and therefore growth. The ECB’s public restraint has suggested it has no immediate intention of selling euros to drive down the European currency’s value in the foreign exchange markets. “Interventions by central banks are always possible, and we never comment on them,” Trichet said. 2004 recent BOARD MEETING SCHEDULES AND CUT OFF DATES SALT LAKE SALT LAKE} A! Friday, December19, 2003 SALT LAKE SALT LAKE TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSIONS : wits OF LA G “C)pPERT: PLANNIN Bi(DARDO} MAYOR'SS| ADJUSTMENT COUNTY, COUNCIL*| MEETING |COMMISSION| >| Tues. - 4 pm] Thurs.- 10am} “MIGRA’ YTTONWOOD| EMIGRATION COTT! HEIGHTS i CANYON. : KEARNS a a “MAGNA MILUCREER Wed. - 2 pm Tues.-9 am Wed.-9am Wed.-9am_ 1/29 1/21 1/13 1/21 1/14 o--- 1/7 1/8 1/15 2/26 2/18 2/10 2/18 2/11 2/5 2/4 2/12 2/19 3/25 3/17 3/16 3/17 3/10 3/4 3/10 3/11 3/18 Planning 4/29 4/21 4/13 4/2) 4/14 4/1 4/7 4/8 4/15 and Zoning 5/26 5/19 5/11 5/19 5/12 5/6 5/5 5/13 5/20 Irems ave 16/24 6/16 6/15 6/16 6/9 6/3 6/2 6/10 6/17 placed on 7/29 7/21 7/13 7/21 7/14 7/1 7/7 7/8 7/15 8/26 8/18 8/10 8/18 8/11 8/5 8/4 8/12 8/19 Council 19/30 9/15 9/14 9/15 9/8 9/2 9/1 9/9 9/16 agendas by _the Thurs. - 9 am} Wed. - 9 am Thurs. - 9 am Thurs. - 9 am 5 : (| 2 10/28 10/20 10/12 10/20 10/13 10/7 10/6 10/14 10/21 é ---- 11/17 11/16 11/17 11/10 11/4 11/3 ---- 11/18 z 12/22 12/15 12/14 12/15 12/8 12/2 12/1 12/9 12/16 PLANNER PLANNER PLANNER PLANNER’ PLANNER |PLANNER] PLANNER |PLANNER , “Some restriction apply. See dealer for details. STK#F3537 Ken Garff TomSchafer Del Swensen Mirinda Gibbons Paul Doerr Angelo Calacino Spencer Sanders 468-2965 468-2309 468-2818 468-2376 468-2177 468-2062 Max Johnson {Spencer Sanders} Max Johnson JAngelo Calacinof Exit 279 in American Fork Just off 1-15 ia 801.763.6800 in American Fork a —— ! 468-3337 468-2062 468-3337 468-2177 “Additional meeting dates can be arranged if necessary. Revised: 11/17/2003 cermin ~ | i ‘ : Treadmills As low as $899 e Precor per month fF +10 Off a Ba e Adjustable Motion e Exercises EAS ¢ Nature’s Way ! e Muscletec ; Exp. 12/24/03 a Ee f 40% OFF ae ae eae eee ¢ Single-hand Adjustment! ji Fitness Apparel BOWFLEX ' Puma « — e Sugoi Ends 12/24/03.-Hurry! ® t om i a HugeSelection of Men & Women’s nonin i slapop $ 8 i us Apparel Exp. 12/24/03 ee ee ee ee ee 10875 SOUTH STATE ST. ey FITNESS SUPERSTORE : a 9 e Nautilus - Nutrition Department - 1 ee e Precor $25 Purchase ow e Nautilus * oe e Precor SS As low as $999 As low as $999 we on Se eS Home Gyms Ellipticals Ree = = ¢ Nautilus e Horizon oon percent constraints in state Medicaid percent, bettering the state aver addition, IHC’s “personal physi @ Continued from E1 BUSINESS sau E6 re ee Home Gyms * Exercise Equipment * Fitness Apparel * Nutritional Supplements |