Washington Business 2019 Legislative Review & Vote Record | Page 25

issue area reports | healthcare
openings. With projected job growth it is
vitally important that Washington state
support its workers through programs
such as the long-term services and supports
program. This legislation passed the Senate
26-22 and the House concurred with final
passage by a vote of 55-41.
ESSB 5526
increasing the availability
of quality, affordable
health coverage in the
individual market
Passed/AWB Opposed
Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5526,
referred to as the Cascade Plan, sponsored
by Sen. David Frockt, D-Seattle, requires
the Washington Health Benefit Exchange
to develop standardized plans and the
Washington State Health Care Authority
to contract with health carriers to offer
standardized qualified health plans and
develop a plan for premium subsidies for
individuals purchasing coverage on the
Washington Health Benefit Exchange. In
addition to the unknown of how much the
subsides for a public option will cost the
state, AWB is concerned with the following
potential outcomes of the public option as
passed in ESSB 5526:
increased cost of employer sponsored
health care benefits.
• Employer health spending has grown
from 6% of total wages in 1988 to more
t ha n 12% in 2018. 2019 w ill be t he
sixth consecutive year with an over 5%
increase for employer sponsored health
insurance, with premiums and out-of-
pocket costs for employees and their
dependents averag ing $14,800 next
year. Fortunately, employers continue to
cover 70% of that cost on average. PwC
Health Research Institute analysis of
Congressional Budget Office data shows
Bill considered as part of
AWB’s voting record
t h e C a s c a d e Pl a n w i l l
exacerbate this situation
through cost shifting.
decrea sed access to
health care.
• With reimbursement rates
capped at 160% of Medicare
rates, health care providers
in Washington state may be
reluctant to take patients
w it h t he Ca scade Pla n .
According to the Centers
for Med ica re/ Med ica id
Services, 820 Washington
state providers opted out
of the Medicare program
completely in 2017. This
is t he eight h-highest in
the nation a nd does not
account for those health
care providers who limit
the number of Medicare
recipients they will take on
as patients.
This pla n w ill cont inue
the trend of increasing the
cost of health care and will
also decrease access to health
care. This legislation passed in
conference committee in the
House 56-41 and the Senate
27-21.
Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, is ranking minority member of
the House Human Services & Early Learning Committee. Rep.
Alex Ybarra, R-Quincy, serves on the Consumer Protection &
Business Committee.
SHB 1605
requiring traumatic
brain injury screenings
for children entering the
foster care system
Passed/AWB Supported
Substitute House Bill 1605, sponsored by
Rep. Tom Dent, R-Moses Lake, requires the
Department of Children, Youth, and Fami-
lies (DCYF) to evaluate traumatic brain
injury (TBI) screening tools that can be
Favorable outcome for
Washington businesses
used with children entering out-of-home
care. The bill requires DCYF to provide a
report on this evaluation to the Legislature
by Dec. 1, 2019. TBI’s are often found in chil-
dren who have been abused or neglected, a
population who makes up the majority of
the out-of-home care, or foster care, partici-
pants in Washington state. It is critical that
the full extent of a child’s physical state of
being be assessed prior to placing them in
state supported care to provide the neces-
sary care for them to recover and thrive.
This legislation passed the House and Sen-
ate with unanimous votes.
Missed Opportunities
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