Matt Ready

Below are links to some documents that go over more detail for the Washington Health Security Trust.  Please note, the bill is being revised and will have some slight changes when it is considered for the 2015 legislative session.  A new bill description and analysis will also be drafted that matches the new and improved version of the bill.  The full bill text linked to below is again the version from 2013.  Nonetheless, these documents will provide a lot of relevant detailed information about the WHST.

• WHST-Presentation-20141106 (2)
• WHST-by-sections-HB1085-highlights (2013 version)
• WHST BILL DESCRIPTION
• HOUSE BILL 1085 ANALYSIS
• The Bill Summary from 2013
• Full Text of HB 1085 (2013 version)

Here are some highlights:

For over twenty years, government reports, economic analyses and anecdotal accounts have repeatedly shown that Washingtonians spend more than we can afford and get less heath care than we need. We spend more than $40 billion each year on health coverage and health care, yet about a million Washington residents have no health insurance at all. Many more are underinsured. Costs of coverage are rising much faster than wages, leaving workers constantly in fear of being unable to continue to afford their health insurance or its cost-sharing requirements. Medical bills, even for people with health insurance at the beginning of illness, are the leading cause of over 50% of personal bankruptcies.

The Affordable Care Act only partially deals with the issue of affordability of health insurance and health care.

Our solution – the Washington Health Security Trust (WHST)

Health Care for All – Washington (HCFA-WA) has written legislation to create a single public trust fund, the Washington Health Security Trust. The fund is dedicated to paying for a defined set of health services for all state residents.

The WHST would, essentially, collect the money we now spend on health insurance and health care from the same sources as at present (employers, individuals, state government, and the federal government), and put those funds into the Trust. The WHST can cover high quality, comprehensive health care for all residents without additional revenue.

And some details on how the WHST will be administered:

The Washington Health Security Trust (WHST) is created to provide health coverage to all Washington residents (non-residents are covered for emergency services and transportation only). The WHST is governed by a board of trustees (Board) consisting of nine members. The Governor appoints the initial members to the Board to staggered terms. After the initial round of appointments, members of the Board will be elected by congressional district. Members of the Board may have no pecuniary interest in any business subject to Board regulation and may be removed by the Governor for failing to perform or for conflict with the public interest. The Board must appoint a financial advisory committee, a citizens’ advisory committee, and a technical advisory committee.