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Republicans try to bring
responsible health care reform to state
After Republican health
care reform bills were left for dead in committee, House Republican
legislators today attempted to improve majority health care legislation
through amendment and rebuttal. However, the majority party continued to
take the state in the wrong direction and failed to address the root
causes of rising health care costs, according to
Rep.
Bill Hinkle, R-Cle Elum, House Ranking Republican on the Health
Care Committee.
“We’ve seen nothing but the same old health care bills that would
continue the failed policies of health care by the majority party,” said
Hinkle. “These bills insert more government into health care policy and
reduce choice for patients. It seems as if the majority party’s idea for
health care reform is to sue Wal-Mart and send people to Canada for
prescription drugs. We have to reduce government regulation and control
by bringing more patient options to the marketplace. Then patients can
make their own health care decisions and have more affordable choices in
health coverage.”
Hinkle and other Republicans put forth amendments that get at the root
of the health care crisis—that small employers don’t have health
insurance options available to them that meet their needs and budgets.
These amendments were defeated on the House floor.
“Patients are being left out of health care decisions in this state,”
Hinkle said. “Insurance companies, government regulators, and actuaries
are telling patients where to spend their health care dollars. Today’s
bills introduced by the majority again leave the patient out of these
decisions.
“The majority’s bills expand government, but Republican legislation
invests in people. The legislation voted on today does not make insurers
and medical providers want to do business in Washington. We are passing
more government regulation that only make it more difficult to be a
medical provider or insurer. If we can make it easier to practice in
Washington, it will encourage competition for health care dollars and
reduce costs and increase choices to patients.”
Nearly 56 percent of employers cite cost as the reason they can’t offer
health care to employees. Three out of four people in Washington work
for small employers that can’t afford the rising cost of health
coverage.
Republicans are offering true health care reform with the following
legislation:
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House Bill 1684 -
This bill would allow health insurance carriers to offer a
mandate-free plan and changes community rating laws, empowering
consumers to purchase health plans that meet their needs, including
Health Savings Accounts.
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House Bill 2904 -
This bill would sunset all existing health insurance statutes,
calling for review and the Legislature to enact new statutes. A
review of the existing health insurance mandates and statutes must
be done to identify government regulations that are restricting
consumer choice and driving up health care costs.
-
House Bill 2728 -
This bill would provide a tax incentive for small employers who
provide health care for their employees.
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House Bill 2555 -
This bill would exclude Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) sold to small
employers from community-rating laws and also establish a program
within the Basic Health Plan for qualified low-income employees to
receive a subsidy to participate in HSAs offered by their employer.
Existing community-rating laws do not provide insurance companies
the ability to increase (or decrease) premiums for a particular plan
based on each plans performance, and thus are a barrier to the
success of HSAs (and other consumer-directed health care plans).
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House Bill 2556 –
This would require DSHS to submit a waiver to the federal government
to reform our Medicaid program by incorporating marketplace
principles, consumer choice, and personal responsibility into the
program.
“Republican legislation begins true
health care reform in this state,” Hinkle said. “These reforms would
create a competitive, consumer-driven health care system and remove
government regulation in order to encourage insurers and providers to
return to Washington state.”
# # #
For more information, contact:
John Handy, Assistant
Communications Director - (360) 786-5758
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