We are excited that several of the policy priorities of Fair Health Prices Washington made the cut-off and passed out of their houses of origin! A campaign of patients, workers, and employers working together to address health care costs, we are grateful to the hundreds of individuals and organizations that signed on in support and provided compelling testimony. We couldn’t have done it without you! Here’s where things landed: 

• Sen. Macri’s ESHB 1508 would expand the authority of the Health Care Cost Transparency Board to improve health care affordability by holding health entities accountable for high prices. The bill passed the House 57-38. It is scheduled for a public hearing on March 17th at 8 am in the Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee.
• Sen. Robinson’s E2SSB 5236 would improve hospital staffing standards and passed the Senate 35-13. It was heard yesterday (3/15) in the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee. 

Our ambitious agenda this year has also included measures to improve the Prescription Drug Affordability Board (HB 1269), address unfair contracting practices (SB 5393), and increase oversight of mergers and consolidations (SB 5241). We are grateful to the admirable efforts of both Rep. Riccelli and Sen. Robinson who gave it their all with last minute floor amendments to these bills, although they didn’t pass. We will renew our efforts after legislative session on these and other affordability issues and will keep you posted. 

The next deadline is March 28th, when bills have to make it out of the opposite chamber from where they started. There’s a lot of work ahead!