Economic Justice: Access to health care – Feb. 11

The Budget and Policy Center documented the cost of tax loopholes and suggests a five-point strategy to reduce these costs and to generate additional revenue needed to fund vital services our state has historically provided to help keep everyone healthy. Click here for a summary of the paper. 

The League of Education Voters put together an on-line calculator which lists the budget reductions that can be gained by cutting various services state residents currently rely on, and lists several ways to increase revenue to minimize the cuts required to balance the budget. Click here to test your hand at creating a budget.

• The proposal (HB 1738) to transfer purchase and coordination of Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program health benefits from DSHS to the Health Care Authority was considered this past week. It is hoped this increased administrative and purchasing coordination will result in increased savings.
• No action was taken last week on HB 1847, which generates more than $100 million/year to fund the Basic Health plan by eliminating certain tax exemptions.