March 6, 2009

Health care bill limits options for families
House Republican lead on health care: 'This bill does not expand health care to cover any more children'

A measure that would delay the availability of health insurance for children in families with household income over 300 percent of the federal poverty level until January 1, 2010, passed off the House floor today. House Bill 2128 would also exempt the state from a portion of its own health care regulations.

"This bill does not expand health care to cover any more children," said Rep. Doug Ericksen, lead Republican on the House Health Care and Wellness Committee. "House Republican solutions would allow the private market to offer a more competitive health care plan for our state's families."

According to the Office of Financial Management, 4.6 percent of children in the state were uninsured in 2008. Ericksen pointed out that House Republicans want to provide quality health care for all Washington families.

"We all have the goal of wanting families to have access to quality health care in our state. But there are two very different approaches in Olympia when it comes to pursuing this goal," said Ericksen, R-Ferndale. "The majority party continues to take us down a path to government-run health care that will result in fewer options and more costs for families. And Republicans want a patient-centered health care system that offers choice and cost containment." 

Ericksen believes Democrats continue to limit the health care options of families.

"The majority party continues to take families that have private health insurance and drive them into a state government-run system. And we should be doing all we can to keep families together when it comes to their health insurance -- not pull children away toward state programs," said Ericksen. "Our state health care safety net is showing serious signs of wear and tear because of the increased costs associated with this approach."

It is estimated that 11 percent of Washingtonians are uninsured, with just over half being ages 19 to 34. To strengthen the state’s health care safety net, Ericksen wants to provide these young adults the option to leave it.

House Republicans are supporting House Bill 1866 - a measure that would allow private insurance carriers in the state to offer tailored plans that meet the needs and budgets of young adults.

"We cannot continue to ignore the largest group of uninsured in our state," said Ericksen. "If we can allow plans that fit the needs and budgets of young adults, they will move from state to private market options. And this would strengthen our state programs."

Ericksen is also concerned the majority party is not doing enough to focus on the underlying problem with the state's health care system: escalating costs. The state's health care costs are already more than $13 billion in the current state operating budget.

"All solutions considered by the Legislature should focus on containing rising health care costs," said Ericksen. "House Bill 2128 does nothing to address this problem."

House Republicans want consumers to have the option of buying health insurance from anywhere in the country. House Bill 1871, prime sponsored by Rep. Jaime Herrera, R-Ridgefield, would allow health insurance carriers to sell a plan approved in another state to Washington residents, and allow Washington carriers to sell that same product. This would create competition and likely drive health insurance costs down.

House Bill 2128 passed off the House floor 68-28 and is now headed to the state Senate for consideration.

The 105-day legislative session is just past its midway point and is scheduled to run through April 25. 

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