Yesterday was a big day in the House Health and Wellness Committee, as consumer groups called on lawmakers to move forward on HB 1508 to uncover the root causes of why health care prices are increasing for consumers each year and hold the industry accountable when prices are repeatedly out of line, through the state’s Health Care Cost Transparency Board (HCCTB).

Prime sponsor Representative Nicole Macri introduced the bill by saying she was “proud of the work we’ve done in Washington to develop a really strong health care system” but “we should have strong concerns about how costs continue to rise here in our state.” Former long-term House Health Committee Chair Eileen Cody, who was the prime sponsor of the original legislation that created the HCCTB in 2020, made an appearance and testified in support of the bill.

NoHLA’s Senior Attorney and Policy Advisor Emily Brice testified that “hundreds of thousands of people in Washington can’t get the care they need or end up with crushing medical debt. What’s worse is that communities of color are hit the hardest. We need policy solutions that will help us reduce health care costs.”

HB 1508 is among several bills being supported by Fair Health Prices Washington, a new effort by patients, workers, and employers working together to address high health care prices through evidence-based policy solutions.

Read the press release here.