WHO WE ARE

Founded in 2021 by doctors, activists, and community leaders, Common Sense Health Care for Utah is a grassroots coalition dedicated to fixing a system that puts profits before patients.

Why We Exist

Health care costs in Utah are spiraling out of control. Families here face the eighth-highest out-of-pocket expenses in the nation, and even with insurance, too many are buried in medical bills. The system is broken—and it’s hurting Utahns.

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Meet our team

Dr. Scott Poppen, MD, MPA | Board Chair

  • “As a retired internal medicine and primary care doctor, I realized early in my career how our health care system doesn’t give everyone equal access, is wasteful of precious resources due to its complexity, and is unaffordable for many. Although access has improved, the system is still too complex and is becoming increasingly unaffordable for individuals, families, businesses and governments. A complete overhaul of how we finance, and shepherd, health care is in order.  Common Sense Health Care for Utah is the only organization in Utah with the bold vision and courage to accomplish what needs to be done.” – Dr. Scott Poppen 

Dr. George Groberg, MD | Vice Chair

  • “I was a senior partner in a busy pediatric group practice and my patients were skewed toward those with chronic illnesses. It was an honor to work with families who were always willing to do whatever was necessary to help their children get the health care they needed. I also learned much about the financial hardships they experienced, caused by the health care system and due to no fault of their own. I believe that the health care system should be accountable to the people (not the health insurance industry), affordable, accessible and simple to administer. That is just ‘Common Sense.'” – Dr. George Groberg

Dr. David Lesser, MD | Treasurer

  • “The free-market principles that have enabled other sectors of our economy to thrive are not appropriate when applied to health care.  Like all businesses, health insurance companies exist primarily for the benefit of their management and shareholders.  The administrative (business) portion of the US health care sector has grown by more than 3,000 percent since 1970.  It makes care more expensive, more complicated, and less accessible. 

    The other industrialized countries in the world provide basic, universal health care to all their citizens.  Their average per-capita costs are less than half of what we spend, and their health outcomes are measurably better than ours.  We could do the same if we redeployed administrative costs into patient care.  That’s what Common Sense Health Care is about.” – Dr. David Lesser

Dr. Brent Baranko, MD | Board Member

  • “The story of a devastated father, grappling with medical debt despite insurance coverage, ignited my passion for studying the flaws in the U.S. healthcare system. It’s unacceptable that in the wealthiest nation, healthcare isn’t universally recognized as a human right, leading to personal bankruptcies due to medical debt. The current system, ranked poorly in affordability and outcomes, prioritizes profit over health. Over the years, I’ve evolved from a silent supporter of healthcare reform to an outspoken advocate. Partnering with Common Sense Health Care Utah, I aim to push for an efficient, equitable, and high-quality healthcare system for all. It’s time to acknowledge the failings of U.S. healthcare and work towards meaningful change.” – Dr. Brent Baranko

Dr. Chris Anderson, MD | Board Member

  • “In 1981, while working as a petroleum engineer in Bolivia, I found myself spending two weeks in a Bolivian ICU. I was critically ill with Hepatitis A-induced fulminant liver failure. That glimpse into the void led me to reconsider my career path. From then on, I embarked on a journey that included measuring the incidence and prevalence of TB in Asia, developing inexpensive testing strategies for diagnosing TB, volunteering in a Catholic Mission Hospital in the Caribbean for 12 months, undergoing a 3-month internship in London, making several clinic visits in Angola, and completing a 7-year internship and Fellowship in Montreal, Canada Throughout these experiences, I witnessed Utahns and employees of Utah Business increasingly being shut out of access to care. It’s these encounters that ultimately informed my decision to join Common Sense Health Care for Utah.” – Dr. Chris Anderson