Reflections on Leadership and Juneteenth
by Daphne Smith, NoHLA Co-Executive Director (featured furthest left in photo celebrating the 2026 Tubman Health Center soil turning ceremony in Rainier Beach, Seattle, WA) Never to forget where we came from and always praise the bridges that carried us over. - Fannie Lou HamerSuccess is to be measured not so much by the position...
Seattle uses AI to help triage, divert 911 medical calls, The Seattle Times
From The Seattle Times article, "Seattle uses AI to help triage, divert 911 medical calls," by Daniel Beekman: SFD started using live AI prompts in December 2023 to help dispatchers more consistently identify 911 calls to divert to the nurse line, Lombard said. Corti's AI now listens to all 911 medical calls and, when it...
Where Affordable Care Act insurance coverage has dropped most in WA, Washington State Standard
From Washington State Standard article, "Where Affordable Care Act insurance coverage has dropped most in WA" by Jake Goldstein-Street: Enrollment increased nowhere in the state, but some areas have been hit harder than others. Rural counties saw some of the biggest drops in coverage between March 2025 and this March. Over 1,100 Yakima County residents...
Equity Is More Than a Value, It’s a Responsibility
by Daphne Smith, NoHLA Co-Executive Director and Excelsior Wellness Board Member Originally written for Excelsior Wellness and cross-posted here with permission from the author. A few years ago in Spokane, hospitals and urgent care centers seemed to appear almost overnight. Many were placed in central, highly trafficked areas — often near one another and their...
Charity Care Tested in Court. Again.
When it comes to Washington's charity care laws, NoHLA has been advocating for consumer access and protections since 1989. We recently joined Columbia Legal Services and Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility in filing an amicus brief (also known as a friend-of-the-court brief) in the case of Preston v. SB&C, Ltd., aka Skagit Bonded Collectors, LLC....
Improving Access to Medicare Savings Programs
by Ann Vining, NoHLA Senior Attorney Medicare is health coverage, but having it does not mean a person can afford the care they need. Medicare is expensive. And it's hard to get help with those costs. But, in case you missed it, there's some good news. Washington finally has a way to improve access to...
June 24 – APIC Immigrant Health Forum
Join the APIC Immigrant Health Forum: Wednesday, June 24, 2026 3 - 4:30 PM PST Zoom Join this session to learn about: Federal HR 1 changes going into effect. Current and expected impacts to health care access for immigrant communities in WA. Ways we can prepare to support community members at risk of losing health...
Ruling on Insurance Blanket Exclusions
From The Spokesman-Review, "GLP1s weight-loss drugs may soon be covered by health insurance under new Washington court ruling" by Amanda Sullender: The Washington statute “does not permit” a health insurance plan deciding “not to deal with a person’s disability for no reason other than because it had always done so,” wrote Judge Ian Birk in...
Nearly 40,000 Fewer Washingtonians Have Healthplanfinder Coverage This Year
New report echoes nationwide health care crisis. Advocates demand lawmaker action. This press release was originally published by Fair Health Prices Washington, a coalition co-led by NoHLA. SEATTLE, WA – Declining health coverage should alarm everyone in Washington state, consumer health advocates warn. A new report from the Washington Health Benefit Exchange (WAHBE) reveals that nearly 40,000 fewer...
Inspiring Conversations with Daphne Smith of Northwest Health Law Advocates
In her interview for VoyageWashington Magazine's "Inspiring Conversations" series, NoHLA's co-executive director, Daphne Smith, shares: While some of my choices may have made my journey more complex, I have been fortunate that many of the challenges I encountered were either justifiable and gave me the opportunity to learn and grow or it highlighted a misalignment...