Washington CAN!

Washington CAN’s 2008 Legislative Victories!

During the 2008 state legislative session, Washington CAN! members took action and won victories on health care and immigrant rights. The state legislature adjourned on March 13th. Here's how Washington CAN! priorities faired.

• Quality, Affordable Health Care for Small Business
• Insurance Rate Accountability
• Roadmap for Comprehensive Health Care Reform
• New Americans Initiative
• Quality Medical Interpretation for Limited-English-Speaking Patients

Quality, Affordable Health Care for Small Business - VICTORY

With your help, we've taken the first step in helping to make health care more affordable for small business. It came down to the wire, but in the final days of session, lawmakers passed legislation (HB 2537) and funding to begin implementing the Health Insurance Partnership, a program to help small businesses afford quality coverage choices. Through the Partnership, participating small businesses will pay premiums with pre-tax dollars and low-income employees will receive premium assistance. Your calls and emails in the final days helped us achieve victory.

While the program is initially targeted to businesses with low-income uninsured employees, our goal is to expand and build a buying pool where all small businesses and individuals can join to obtain quality coverage on an affordable sliding scale. Initially, the Health Insurance Partnership will be available to businesses that

• Have 2-50 employees (including the owner),
• Do not currently provide health coverage through the business, and
• Have at least half of their employees as low-wage workers.

Enrollment applications will be accepted beginning January 1, 2009. If you think you might qualify, let us know.

Insurance Rate Accountability - VICTORY

The legislature passed Washington CAN! backed legislation (SB 5261) to increase public oversight over insurance rate hikes. This victory will provide much needed protection for individual policy holders who saw their health insurance rates jump as high as 40 percent this past year.

Roadmap for Comprehensive Health Care Reform - VICTORY

The legislature passed Washington CAN! backed legislation (SB 6333) creating a health care working group to analyze concrete health care reform proposals to reform our health care system. In the coming year, Washington CAN! will organize opportunities for the public to learn about reform options and speak up for what we need in our health care system. This process will help set the stage for health care reform that guarantees quality, affordable health care for everyone.

New Americans Initiative - VICTORY

On Wednesday, February 20th, Gov. Gregoire signed an Executive Order establishing Washington's New Americans Policy Council on immigrant integration. "We need to take a more systematic approach to helping immigrants succeed and become citizens," said Gov. Gregoire. The new two-year Policy Council will determine how the State can more effectively integrate immigrants into communities across Washington.

Quality Medical Interpretation for Limited-English-Speaking Patients - A STEP FORWARD

This legislative session, Washington CAN! sought to begin a conversation about how to address the needs of limited English speaking patients. We worked with Sen. Paull Shin from Lynnwood to introduce legislation (SB 6684) to improve access to quality medical interpretation by requiring insurance companies and public programs to cover medical interpretation costs. Though the bill did not pass this year, it had hearings in two committees and will be included on the interim agenda of the Senate Health Care Committee for further study before next session.

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