The new Valley View Health Center location in Winlock opened to patients for the first time last month.
The unpredictability we as a country faced in health care was unprecedented in 2017.
From relentless threats to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act to ending the year without stable, long-term funding that’s critical for community health centers and children’s health insurance.
This is why it’s more important than ever to call on our Congressional delegation, including Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, to support long-term solutions to these vital programs.
While we wait for decisions on the federal level, there is also much to be done on the state level to create more stability for our patients.
Fortunately, the start of a new year brings the opportunity for Washington state’s policy makers to be a beacon of change and an example to Congress when the decision to fund health care programs is on the table.
The capital budget, overdue from the 2017 legislative session, needs to be approved before any other business takes place. This budget has the potential for far-reaching consequences in the health care arena if further delayed.
Over $9 million for more than 17 dental projects across the state, including a new Valley View Health Center dental clinic, hang in the balance if the Legislature fails to pass the budget.
The projects would enable nearly 3,000 patients in Lewis County (and 60,000 statewide) to get the dental care they need, but can’t currently access.
Once the budget passes, our Legislature’s work is far from over.
Protecting the health care safety net is next up. The most helpless among us — children — are those who stand to lose the most. The federal program that supports our state’s ability to cover all kids, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), was depleted of funds last year after Congress failed to reauthorize it, despite widespread bipartisan support.
In a down-to-the-wire decision in December, the continuing resolution that Congress passed to avert a government shutdown included just short-term CHIP funding for the new year. For families across Washington state, that was one close call too many, but still left them without long-term peace of mind.
I urge Gov. Jay Inslee and the Legislature to prioritize making a contingency plan for the state to fulfill its obligation to cover all kids in case long-term funding isn’t passed.
With Medicaid expansion, Washington state is enjoying a historic low 6 percent uninsured rate.
Preserving Medicaid and its full range of benefits should be an easy decision.
According to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation analysis, these insurance coverage gains make a big difference when it comes to access to care, utilization of services, the affordability of care, and financial security among the low-income population. Kaiser’s analysis also shows that Medicaid expansion is good for the economy, resulting in reductions in uncompensated care costs for hospitals and clinics as well as positive or neutral effects on employment and the labor market.
To say there has been chaos encircling funding for health care programs and worry facing our vulnerable patients during the past year is putting it mildly. Washington families can’t afford to have politicians gamble with their health care any longer.
They’re counting on our state legislators to stand strong for health care this session and to not lose sight of all the progress that has been made.
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Steven Clark is the executive director of Valley View Health Center, a non-profit, federally qualified health center committed to providing quality integrated medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy services to families and individuals of all ages, regardless of the ability to pay. Valley View has 12 locations, serving patients in three counties.
