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House Republicans try to
improve governor’s health care bill
Rejected Republican amendments consistent
with Blue Ribbon Commission recommendations
House Republicans offered
seven amendments yesterday to the governor’s health care bill which they
said would more comprehensively address the state’s health care crisis.
Democrats on the committee rejected all but one of them.
House Bill 2098 is being touted by the governor as a product of the
Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care Costs and Access. But House
Republican lawmakers say some of the recommendations of the commission
have been watered down by the governor and Democrats. The House
Republican amendments sought to address these deficient areas.
“I was a member of the Blue Ribbon Commission and felt it was a
successful effort. I’m just disappointed all of our recommendations are
not being fully implemented into law. House Bill 2098 includes some of
these ideas, but does not go far enough to address our most serious
health care problems,” said Rep. Bill Hinkle, top ranking
Republican on the House Health Care and Wellness Committee. “At the end
of the day I need to go home and tell folks that help is on the way. I
can’t say House Bill 2098 provides them any meaningful relief. We will
continue to work with Democrats and the governor and offer bold,
comprehensive solutions for our state health care system.”
House Republican amendments would have:
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Required conducting an
in-depth cost-benefit analysis of the health care connector being
administered by a private entity versus a government agency.
Consistent with Blue Ribbon Commission recommendation #10
-
Created a private
sector state health care insurance exchange as opposed to a public
sector health care connector. Consistent with Blue Ribbon Commission
recommendation #10
-
Deleted the mandate to
expand dependent coverage to age 25 and authorized health carriers
to offer separate lower cost health plans for young adults ages
19-34 that do not have to meet all existing mandated services.
Consistent with Blue Ribbon Commission recommendation #8
-
Allowed small
businesses to provide health insurance plans to their employees that
are flexible, low-cost and mandate-free. Consistent with Blue Ribbon
Commission recommendation #8
-
Allowed a business and
occupation (B&O) tax deduction for employers that provide health
insurance to their employees.
-
Required a five-year
plan to change reimbursement rates for state-purchased health care
programs to include rates comparable to private health insurance
reimbursement rates. Consistent with Blue Ribbon Commission
recommendation #1
The committee did pass a
Republican amendment that would require the state Health Care Authority
to make the health savings account option for public employees available
for 2008 open enrollment.
House Republicans say the governor’s bill ignores the #2 strategy of the
Blue Ribbon Commission: provide affordable health insurance options for
individuals and small businesses.
“I don’t see where this bill gets our state’s small employers any closer
to having the options recommended by the Blue Ribbon Commission,” said
Rep. Gary
Alexander, R-Thurston County, who is assistant Republican
leader on the House Health Care and Wellness Committee. “Our amendment
was true to that recommendation. The fact that it was rejected is a
signal to small employers: just when you think you can trust government,
it pulls the football away.”
House Republicans also believe runaway health care costs need to be
addressed before expanding and creating state health care programs.
“I think we’re putting the cart before the horse with the governor’s
health care proposal,” said Rep. Richard Curtis, R-La Center. “Before we
expand state government programs like health insurance, we need to find
a way to pay for the programs we already have in place. As far as I can
tell, House Bill 2098 doesn’t address the rising cost of the state-run
health insurance system, nor does it address how we will pay for the
proposed expanded access. We need to make sure we address several
elements, like reimbursement rates to providers, before we pile more
people onto our already over-extended state health care system.”
House Republicans also point out that Blue Ribbon Commission
recommendation #8 seeks to provide individuals ages 19-34 affordable
insurance options on the private market, but the governor’s bill does
not offer this option. This age demographic makes up just over 50
percent of the state’s uninsured.
“House Bill 2098 does not include any reforms to our private health
insurance market. However, it does add yet another mandate that requires
carriers that offer dependent coverage to extend eligibility for
dependents up to age 25, regardless of whether they are enrolled in
school or not,” said Rep. Cary Condotta, R-East Wenatchee. “Instead of
sending a message to young adults that their parents should be
responsible for their health care costs until they are 25, we should
reform our insurance laws to allow carriers to design benefit plans
specifically for people ages 19-34. Other states have done it and we
should too.”
House Bill 2098 is now headed to the House Appropriations Committee,
where it will be determined how much it will cost the state to
implement.
To review the Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care Costs and Access
recommendations visit:
http://www1.leg.wa.gov/documents/joint/HCCA/Final Report.pdf
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