It’s clear there are tough times ahead for health care.  Nationally, the Trump Administration will try to slash Medicaid and Medicare, threaten immigrant and reproductive care, and repeal key Affordable Care Act consumer protections.  At a state level, we’re facing a steep $10-12 billion budget deficit over the 4-year budget cycle.  State agencies have already prepared a “budget reductions” exercise that suggests there could be deep cuts to essential health care services, if the Legislature doesn’t identify progressive revenue alternatives.  But NoHLA is ready to fight. NoHLA launched 25 years ago in response to another difficult period: the roll-back of 1990s health expansions and imposition of racist, xenophobic “welfare reform.” Since then, we’ve worked alongside allies to fend off Great Recession budget cuts, protect care during the first Trump Administration, and expand care during the pandemic. We stood for health justice then, and we’ll stand for health justice now. It won’t be easy. But we will use every legal and policy tool at our disposal to defend health care for Washingtonians.  And we’ll partner with all of you to find opportunities for change amidst crisis: if they set us back, we’ll step forward. We see promise in Washington’s newly elected leaders, including proactive health agendas from incoming Governor Ferguson and Insurance Commissioner Kuderer. We will continuing to advance health, together. 

Despite the challenges ahead, NoHLA remains committed to health care for all Washingtonians, including immigrants who are a vital part of Washington’s communities. In a recent Kaiser Family Foundation article, NoHLA’s Senior Policy Advocate Lee Che Leong explained, “People are looking around and realizing that our health is interconnected, both globally and locally,” Leong said. “The pandemic really brought that home, that when you look at the disparities in who got Covid, who was exposed to Covid, and who died from Covid.” Lee Che and partners from across the state worked to make Washington’s recent health coverage expansions a reality for 12,000 immigrants. But as of last week, there are nearly as many eligible Washingtonians waiting for coverage but denied due to limited funding. That’s why NoHLA and 58 other organizations sent a letter to Governor Inslee this month, calling for the Governor to make immigrant health a priority in his final budget. Governor Inslee will release his final budget in December and legislators will consider the budget in the next legislative session starting in January.

One take-away from this election cycle is the growing realization that people are ready for real solutions to the health care affordability challenges we face. Washington voters upheld the WA Cares program, showing an appetite for innovative approaches to paying for long-term care. Data shows that across party lines, Washingtonians are ready for creative solutions to the problem of high prices for medical and prescription drugs too.  Together with partners in our Fair Health Prices Washington effort, NoHLA continues to highlight the need for change. Our campaign’s recent press release about skyrocketing small group health insurance rates drew widespread coverage–  see one example here.  The issue of health care affordability has policymakers’ attention as well: Washington’s Cost Transparency Board recently released a draft report to the Legislature (see tab 10), which cites our survey of Washingtonians’ health affordability challenges and includes policy recommendations that could drive toward greater affordability. We expect this report will be finalized in December, at the state’s first annual “Cost Trends public hearing” – which is occurring thanks to a bill we helped pass last year.  If you know someone who is struggling with health care affordability, they can share input during the public comment portion of the agenda. Stay tuned for more opportunities to make your voice heard!