OLYMPIA – The House of Representatives passed a series of bills aimed at giving workers and business more options on health care and better consumer protections.
“Your family’s good health is irreplaceable,” said Rep. Eileen Cody, D-West Seattle, chair of the Health Care and Wellness Committee. “We’ve worked hard with lawmakers from both parties to improve Washington’s health and make health care more accessible.”
Most of the legislation passed today had broad bipartisan support, including a number of bills authored by Republican lawmakers that Cody helped shepherd through her committee and onto the House floor.
Implementing federal health care reform
The federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires each state to establish a health benefit Exchange to help consumers select and purchase health care insurance. HB 1740 sets up a governance structure and public-private board to be appointed in July 2012. The board will be responsible for setting up the Exchange and ensuring it is operational by January 2015.
HB 4404 continues the Joint Select Committee on Health Care Reform Implementation, a committee closely linked to establishment of the Exchange in HB 1740.
In 2007 the Legislature created the Health Insurance Partnership, an Exchange-like program to help small businesses provide insurance to employees. HB 1560 expands eligibility for the program provides an opportunity to test whether pooling public, employer and employee funds can increase access to health insurance coverage for small-business employers.
Protecting patients and consumers
Despite increasing use of oral chemotherapy drugs, many insurers provide better coverage for intravenous therapy. HB 1517 requires insurers provide comparable coverage for both oral and IV chemotherapy.
“This reform will save time, money and aggravation for cancer patients in every corner of Washington state,” said Rep. Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, author of the legislation. “As a Republican colleague said on the House floor, it’s senseless to charge cancer patients like him $4,000 a month to take a chemo pill at home, but have health insurance cover the cost of cancer patients driving to the hospital and having the drugs administered by IV. We can fix that by sending this legislation to the governor.”
Supported by a majority of major health insurance providers, HB 1220 increases transparency behind decisions to increase health insurance premiums by making public the health insurance filings submitted to OIC.
“Our health insurance choices affect our physical and financial health in profound ways, yet consumers are in the dark. We see our premiums skyrocketing every year, but we have no idea why,” said Rep. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, the bill’s sponsor. “With this bill, consumers will have a seat at the table.”
HB 1494 establishes standards and guidelines for elder placement referral agencies to ensure a client’s physical and mental conditions are more fully accounted for and referrals are to facilities that can provide adequate care.
“We all have loved ones who are aging,” said Speaker Pro Tem Jim Moeller, D-Vancouver, author of the legislation. “This reform is about doing a better job of protecting your family and friends when they’re at their most vulnerable time of life.”
Focusing on efficiency and accountability
HB 1311 continues an effort started in 2009 to create guidelines for the state’s Health Care Authority for improving quality of care and containing health care costs. The group included participants from the public and private health care sectors, including purchasers, carriers, hospitals and doctors.
HB 1563 streamlines state health information disclosure laws for patients with certain medical conditions.
HB 1575 clears up an ambiguity in ambulatory surgical facility licensing to ensure that facilities that should be regulated are.
HB 1737 establishes guidelines for the Department of Social and Health Services to audit pharmacy records.
HB 1901 decreases costs and increases flexibility in our state’s long-term care system by linking patients at home, in senior housing facilities, and other non-nursing home or hospital settings with regular medical services they might not otherwise have easy access to.