Alliance for a Healthy Washington remains committed to its mission to secure for all Washingtonians sustainable, fair, and transformative health care policy that advances our health care system while also addressing our current health care crises.
We would like to extend a warm welcome to two of our newest members – Teamsters Joint Council and the American Indian Health Commission. Thank you for your support. Together we are stronger.
AHW members met on Dec. 18, 2020 to adopt an agenda listing their priorities for the 67th Legislative Session in Washington State. Updates will be added as bill numbers and/or other information become available.
The goals for this year’s agenda are as follows:
- Long-term focus towards universal health coverage and access
- Identifying health disparities and supporting health equity
- Expanding health coverage to excluded residents
- Restructuring public health and increase funding to address needs created by the pandemic
- Addressing infrastructure barriers to care, particularly in rural Washington
- Household tax burdens commensurate with incomes
Below is the adopted 2021 Legislative Session Agenda (download a copy here):
SB 5399: Codifies intent to establish a state-based universal health care plan by 2026, & establishes a commission to guide implementation.
HB 1272: Relating to health system transparency; adds new requirements for reporting from ambulatory surgical facilities and hospitals on revenue and expenditures.
- As passed in 2019/20: Addresses the governmental public health system which is comprised of the DOH, BOH, local health jurisdictions, sovereign tribal nations, and Indian health programs.
- Requires funding, appropriated to OFM, for public health system restructuring, including efforts to reinforce current public health system capacity and implement service delivery models for system stabilization and transformation.
- Allocates funding to DOH if federally recognized Indian tribes, a state assoc. representing local health jurisdictions, and the state BOH, certify they agree on the distribution and uses of state foundational public health services funding.
- NOTE: AHW does NOT support the covered lives assessment as a funding source.
HB 1191: Expands health coverage for those not eligible for Medicaid; improves access to care.
SB 5068: Reintroduction of SSB 6128. The bill passed both legislative chambers but was vetoed by the Governor in spring of 2020 due to the uncertainty COVID-19 created. The bill would improve maternal health outcomes by expanding coverage during the postpartum period.
SB 5142: Expands access to oral health care through an evidence-based mid-level dental provider called a dental therapist.
SB 5003: A person engaged in the business of insurance may not decline coverage of a person under a policy, as a condition of receiving a policy, or discriminate in the offering, issuance, etc. of a policy solely due to the status of the person as a living organ donor.
HB 1110: Restructures public health boards to balance the number of health care professionals & elected officials.
HB 1152: Requires counties to form comprehensive public health districts beginning Jan. 1, 2023. Repeals provisions related to establishing and operating local boards of health, local health districts, local district boards of health, and city-county health departments.
HB 1264: Requires an equity impact study as part of the legislature’s policy-making process.
Removes barriers for broadband companies to lease sites on DNR land for underserved areas by increasing capacity at overburdened sites and developing new sites for leasing.
HB 1216: Modernizes the Evergreen Communities Act to help communities develop urban forestry plans aligning with other high priority goals, such as salmon and orca recovery, environmental health disparities, human health, and local air and water quality improvements with at least 50 percent of all program activities benefiting highly impacted communities.
Revises the act approved last year to include minors & adjust minor timeframes.
SB 5101: Adding two tribal representatives to the State Emergency Management Council – one from eastern WA and one from western WA.
Adding tribal representation to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Task Force and puts the task force with the Attorney General’s office.
* Topics above with an asterisk (*), AHW will sign-on in support of efforts led by community partners & provide assistance as needed.
Topics above without an asterisk (*), AHW will take an active role in all aspects of policy development and advocacy.