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.