After a lengthy 193-day session, the Legislature adjourned last week, approving an operating budget in the nick of time but failing to pass capital budget. The operating budget effectively cuts the already underfunded Medicaid dental benefit by requiring a switch from fee-for-service to a carved-out dental managed care arrangement, pairing the move with unrealistic savings...
Category: News Posts
New Health Equity Tool for ACH Evaluation
The Consumer and Community Voices (CCV) Work Group of the King County Accountable Community of Health (ACH), including NoHLA senior staff attorney Daniel Gross, created an equity assessment tool for the ACH to use in developing Medicaid demonstration projects. The tool – which the ACH will use in designing its Medicaid Transformation Demonstration projects – requires...
Surprise Billing Persists in Washington– NY Times Highlights Problems with EmCare
NoHLA has long advocated for consumer protections from surprise medical bills – when a consumers receive unexpectedly large bills from health care providers that they had no idea were out-of-network. Over one in five visits to an in-network emergency room result in an out-of-network doctor’s bill. Despite this problem, a House proposal in the Legislature...
Charity Care Challenges Continue in Yakima Valley
A 2016 report by NoHLA and OneAmerica found that Yakima Regional and Toppenish Hospitals were not adequately providing charity care to patients in need. Now, both hospitals are being acquired by Regional Health, which is pursuing Certificate of Need (CON) approval from the state Department of Health. NoHLA and OneAmerica submitted written comments expressing concern...
Revised Senate Health Bill Unveiled Today
During the July 4th recess, Senators heard from their constituents about problematic provisions of their health proposal. Some Senators returned more steadfast in their opposition. And experts recently estimate that over 900,000 health care workers would lose jobs due to Medicaid cuts under the Senate’s plan. One analysis suggests that Washington State could lose 16,800...
People Love the ACA and Medicaid More Than Ever!
Meanwhile, favorability of the ACA tops 50% for the first time! Unfortunately, there is also public support for changes that would make retaining coverage even more burdensome for Medicaid enrollees. Refuting Republican claims that Medicaid is “woefully broken” and that it provides the poor with worse care than is gained by the uninsured, Medicaid enrollees...
Legislature Gets Budget Done Just in Time!
Governor Inslee signed a state biennial operating budget with no time to spare to avoid a partial government shutdown on June 30. He also vetoed a tax break the Republicans wanted. One notable accomplishment was a bill guaranteeing workers paid family and medical leave beginning in 2020, providing 12 weeks paid time off for the...