OLYMPIA – A bill to expand healthcare services to the needs of King County and beyond passed the Washington House of Representatives with a vote of 56-41. Sponsored by Rep Chipalo Street (D-Seattle), House Bill 2348 focuses on county hospital funding, and now progresses to the Senate for further consideration.
“I introduced this bill because some of the services our unhoused population needs is healthcare and mental health services,” said Street. “Harborview is a premiere provider of these services for our community. Currently, 70 percent of the people who receive care at Harborview are on some kind of government medical assistance. It also houses the only psychiatric ER, outside of the state’s psychiatric hospitals. With 40 percent of the people receiving care at Harborview being from outside of King County, this hospital is truly a safety net for our region.”
Harborview is short $1 billion to complete its renovations. “This piece of legislation would ensure that Harborview’s renovations can be fully funded, preserving this life-saving safety net,” added Street.
“Harborview plays a critical role in serving diverse communities and providing essential healthcare services, and we need to support this vital hospital,” concluded Street.
House Bill 2348 is now with the Senate for further consideration. This year’s legislative session ends on March 7.