Social and Economic Policy
Healthcare

Everyone should have access to affordable, quality health care across a full spectrum of services from preventive care to long-term care; and a workforce sufficient in quantity and qualified to provide these services and with the north star of a publicly funded universal healthcare system.

Issue Team Chair: Katie Johnson, Issue Chair
 DOWNLOAD the Health Care Issue Paper [Coming soon]
Interested in getting involved with this topic? Contact Katie Johnson 

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Overview

Covid taught us 3 things: 

• We are each only as healthy as the sickest among us—those we pass in the supermarket, whose kids attend school with ours, use the public transportation and restaurants that we use. Infectious diseases spread quickly. Access to health care controls that spread.
  
  
• Our health systems are vulnerable. Funding cuts will result in closures of hospitals and clinics - particularly in rural areas. Emergency Rooms and medical providers will be strained - reducing everyone’s access to care. Assuring funding for health care reduces that strain. (About 50% of rural populations use Medicaid).
  
  
• Sickness is expensive on a personal and community level. Prevention and early treatment save the cost of ICU care and disability. We need everyone in our community to be healthy enough to contribute to their best ability. Funding health care supports that effort and ultimately saves money. 

• Total population covered by Medicaid in WA: 1,950,826 enrollees (June 2024).
  
  
• 47% of Washington children are enrolled in Medicaid.
  
  
• School based health services for children with disabilities will be adversely impacted.
  
  
• Long term care for persons with physical, cognitive or developmental disabilities will be adversely affected.
  
  
• Over 620,000 Washingtonians will be impacted by work requirements and changes to redeterminations.
  
  
• Most Apple Health clients work (or are the dependents of a working adult).
  
  
• More than 620,000 adults would be at risk to lose or delay coverage due to administrative red tape.
  
  
• Requires states to redetermine eligibility for adults enrolled through Medicaid Expansion for Adults every 6 months, beginning December 31, 2026. This can result in lapses in care and more administrative burden on people who are already marginalized.
  
  
• Lawfully-present non-citizens will see direct restrictions to access. HCA anticipates this could impact over 30,000 individuals currently enrolled in Apple Health.
  
  
• Prohibits federally funded Medicaid payments to nonprofit organizations that primarily engage in family planning services or reproductive services and provide abortion services.
  
  
• Estimated combined impact in Washington: 

• Enrollment reduction of 35% - 50% 
• Premium increases of up to 15% 
• Ripple effects across the health system including $100M+ in uncompensated hospital care
• Enrollment reduction up to 23% 
• Premium increase by 4.5%

• HC-1: Policies, as part of comprehensive reform of the existing health system, which: 
  
  
• Ensure universal access for all residents to a comprehensive, uniform, and affordable set of health services. These services shall be available regardless of one's health status (i.e., pre-existing conditions) or financial status. 
  
  
• Provide “seamless” coverage and continuity of care, to the extent possible, regardless of changes in life circumstances such as change in employment, marital status, financial status, or health status. 
  
  
• Establish a mechanism to adequately control total system expenditures for health services while maintaining quality standards of care. 
  
  
• Assure that no one shall be forced into poverty because of medical or long-term needs. (1992)

Updates
At times during the session, an Issue Chair may write a "Weekly Update" to provide more details on what happened during the week. When they are available, they can be found below:

• January 11 