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Hinkle disappointed as House
strips out true health care
reform from small business assistance bill
Rep.
Bill Hinkle, Republican leader on the House Health Care
Committee, said the majority’s stripping of the Senate amendments to HB
2572 returns the small business assistance measure to government-run
health care. Amendments representing true health care reform to small
businesses, made in a bipartisan Senate vote, did not survive a vote in
the House where they were removed by a technicality.
“We had a chance as a Legislature to bring help to small businesses with
the Senate version of this bill,” said Hinkle, R-Cle Elum. “But now the
Democrats have returned the bill to its original form. In its original
form, we are making small businesses more dependent on government by
giving handouts to employers, forcing them to purchase
government-controlled health plans and denying them the ability to set
up Health Savings Accounts.”
Senate Republicans introduced amendments to E2SHB 2572 that were
accepted by majority Democrats, with the final vote tally 42-5. One
amendment provided subsidies for individuals who have health savings
accounts (HSAs). Other amendments allowed health insurers to offer a
mandate-free health plan, provided a tax incentive for small employers
who provide health care for their employees, and eliminated the
requirement that subsidized plans be equivalent to the more costly Basic
Health Plan.
“This is a sad day for us,” Hinkle said. “The majority is insistent on
keeping government in control of the process. Republicans have been
trying to get government out of health care and bring choice and
competition to the marketplace. By gutting the Senate amendments, we’re
back to health care as mandated by government.”
HB 2572 heads back to the Senate after the House voted to not concur
with its amendments.
“Employees of small businesses had some hope when they saw the Senate
version of this bill. Now, that hope has disappeared. I’m sorry that the
majority didn’t see the wisdom of keeping the Senate version of this
bill,” Hinkle said.
Passing meaningful small group reform to offer more affordable health
care coverage to employees has been part of the House Republican
“Commitment to Washington” laid out at the beginning of the legislative
session.
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For more information, contact:
John Handy, Assistant
Communications Director - (360) 786-5758
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