Voice of the Mid-Columbia | Kennewick, Pasco and Richland, Wash. |
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closeWednesday, Oct. 07, 2009
Legislature can address state's health care issues
By Larry Haler, Brad Klippert and Doug Ericksen, Special to the Herald
We had an opportunity to share our health care solutions for Washington to a large group of citizens in Richland on Sept. 17.
We came away impressed with people's thoughtful comments and questions, as they underscore the importance and passion behind the health care issue.
An aspect often lost in the national health care debate is the fact that many of our problems here in Washington could be addressed by the state Legislature.
Our state can take important steps now to make it less reliant on what may or may not happen in Congress. We feel the time to act is now, and we would like to share our plan with you.
Our solutions are based on three principles. First, the status quo is unacceptable. We continue to hear from families, individuals and employers who are being hurt by escalating health care costs.
Second, we must fix what is broken in our health care system, while preserving what is working well. What we enjoy about our system cannot be the enemy of reforms.
Finally, people make better decisions about their health care than government. You should always have the power to make decisions.
Along with principles, a plan should have goals. Our four health care goals are to lower costs, increase access, provide more choices and repair the state's safety net for vulnerable citizens. Our state must break from the status quo if these goals are to become outcomes.
All of our solutions take into account health care costs, choice and quality. To help lower costs, we want to: offer more choices for small employers (House Bill 1868), provide tax incentives for the purchase of health care plans (House Bill 1872) and allow core benefit plans (House Bill 1865).
To provide more access and choices, we would: create new young adult plans for those ages 19 to 34 (House Bill 1866), allow the purchasing of health insurance across state lines (House Bill 1871), repeal the Certificate of Need to encourage innovation (House Bill 1867) and allow Health Savings Accounts for state employees (House Bill 1870).
Finally, to repair the safety net for vulnerable citizens, our state could reform its Basic Health Plan through House Bill 2169.
We also plan to introduce measures that would provide comprehensive medical malpractice reform and establish a state constitutional amendment to protect Washingtonians' right to make their own health care decisions.
As you can see, our 10-point plan is not rhetoric or platitudes - we have specific bills for the 2010 legislative session.
Unlike continually changing and complex proposals in Washington, D.C., you can easily track our bills and be a part of the process in Olympia. We encourage you to go to www.leg.wa.gov and click on "bill search" and enter the bill number.
Or, you are welcome to contact us any time by going to www.houserepublicans.wa.gov.
We feel good solutions are not partisan. Please join us in working with Democrats in the Legislature to move real health care reform forward.
w Rep. Larry Haler, R-Richland, and Rep. Brad Klippert, R-Kennewick, represent the 8th Legislative District. Rep. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, represents the 42nd Legislative District and is lead Republican on the House Health Care and Wellness Committee.
Editorials are the consensus of the Tri-City Herald editorial board.
Editorial board members are Rufus Friday, publisher; Chris Sivula, editorial page editor; Ken Robertson, executive editor; Matt Taylor, contributing editor; Lori Lancaster, editorial writer; Shelly Norman, editorial writer and Jack Briggs, retired publisher
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