In the Senate: Nine pages of people signed in on ‘Affordable Care Act’ bill

The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee is considering a bill aimed at putting the Affordable Care Act into place — including implementing the healthcare exchange.

“There is some real controversy here,” said Sen. Linda Evans Parlette. She said the Legislature passed a bill last year, and it seems like they shouldn’t need to pass another bill to qualify for Level 2 federal funding for the exchange.

Jonathan Seib with Gov. Chris Gregoire’s policy office said the state needs to be ready for open enrollment in October of next year — part of that requires being certified for the federal government. He said the legislation last session did not give the board the tools that it needs to be open for business by that time.

Sen. Mike Carrell asked what requirement the state must meet. “Have we, in this bill, gone beyond that and in what areas can we reduce the scope of this bill” and still qualify for funding, he asked. Seib said the bill contains components that the governor’s office believes the state needs to receive the funding. He said there are some additional aspects of the bill that allow the state to customize the exchange to this state.

Sharon Shaw, a small business owner, said healthcare should be affordable for everyone, but it’s not. “If I lost Basic Health, insurance for a family of four would cost more than my mortgage,” she said.

Eric Smiley, who owns a Seattle hair salon, said he works long hours and pays his taxes but can’t afford healthcare. “The system, as it is set up today, does not work for me … purchasing insurance is expensive and confusing,” he said, adding that the state needs an easy-to-use health insurance exchange so that small business owners and others can afford insurance.

Makini Howell, a restauranteur in Seattle, said the people at the hearing in “expensive suits” are trying to preserve the status quo. But the dozens of other regular people are there to support the exchange.

But Mel Sorenson with the Washington Association of Health Underwriters said the details of the bill matter, and some of the details in this bill are “objectionable.” He said his group is in favor of healthcare reform, but they have issues with this bill. He said his group believes that additional, cost-driving obligations to the exchange in this bill are unnecessary.

 

Tags: healthcare