Just what the doctor ordered

It shouldn’t hurt extra when you get hurt.

But right now, for almost 600,000 Washingtonians without health-care insurance, it does.

Upper-income families can afford coverage — or get it through work. Lower-income families may qualify for state or federal programs.

Sadly, too many families in the middle now eking out a living cannot afford insurance. This isn’t what America stands for. Families who work hard, play by the rules and take personal responsibility should have access to high quality, affordable health care.

To this end, the Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care Costs and Access has issued recommendations that will spell the difference between surviving an illness physically and surviving it financially.

Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent, is the sponsor of Senate Bill 5930, a comprehensive measure that would put into place those recommendations. It would bring high-quality, affordable and accessible health care to Washington residents by:

• Requiring the use of evidence-based standards of care;
• Using the concept of a “medical home” for the aged, blind and disabled;
• Publicizing research on health-care quality, evidence-based medicine and patient safety to promote best practices;
• Contracting with community health centers to provide primary health and dental services to reduce the use of emergency rooms for these purposes;
• Requiring that plans offered to employees cover unmarried dependents younger than 25, regardless of whether the dependent is a college student;
• Planning a statewide public-private partnership to connect employees of small businesses and others to affordable health insurance; and
• Modeling a reinsurance plan to reduce premiums.

The bill meets the goals of Senate Democrats to:

• Build a high-quality, high-performing health-care system, making maximum use of limited resources by directing them to services that maintain and improve health.
• Provide affordable health insurance options for individuals and small businesses. We’ll keep costs down by ensuring access to a competitive insurance market that provides choices to consumers. Equally important, the state, individuals and businesses will each contribute by paying their share.
• Ensure the health of the next generation. Currently 73,000 children are uninsured. Senate Democrats made a commitment two years ago to providing health care to all Washington children by 2010.
• Promote prevention and healthy lifestyles. The federal Centers for Disease Control say four factors influence human health: lifestyle, environment, genes and medical care. The biggest factor? Lifestyle. Through public outreach and education, we can promote choices that lead to healthier lives and lower health-care costs.

Senate Democrats are committed to bringing affordable, accessible and high-quality health-care to families across Washington.

Surgery photos on this and home page courtesy of University of Washington Medical Center.