Sen. Keiser: Consumers must have access to legal prescriptions

OLYMPIA – Washington’s pharmacies have to allow women access to a legal form of birth control as a condition of doing business in the state, if a bill introduced by Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent, becomes law. more>>>

Sen. Keiser: ‘Plan B’ will be before 2008 Legislature

OLYMPIA – Following today’s announcement that a federal judge has suspended Washington’s requirement that pharmacists sell "morning-after" birth control pills, Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent, guaranteed that legislation to codify the requirement will be heard during the 2008 legislative session. more>>>

On health care, states must lead

Like politics, it seems all health-care reform these days is local. While Congress and President Bush have failed to address our failing, costly and disjointed health-care system, states have stepped up to the need by enacting reforms to achieve quality and affordable health care for all. States are providing the leadership that is moving health-care reform across state lines and building momentum for national reform. more>>>

Marr: state Department of Health can temporarily cover loss of federal funds

OLYMPIA – Cleft lip and cleft palate patients have won a short reprieve as the Washington State Department of Health pledged to temporarily continue a program threatened by cuts in the federal Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant. The program teaches parents feeding techniques for infants born with cleft lips and cleft palates, and helps families find specialized maxillofacial care. more>>>

It’s time for government to act on costs of long-term care

When Spokane resident Wanda Flood purchased long term care insurance in 1996, she thought she was doing the right thing to guarantee that she and her husband would get the care they needed as they got older. Instead, she finds herself stuck with increasingly higher annual premiums, a policy that drops in value with each passing year, and some serious questions about whether her husband will be granted his benefits. more>>>

Legislators scrutinize long term care insurance

OLYMPIA — State legislators held a meeting in Spokane with Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, long term care insurance professionals, and a representative of Washington nursing homes to discuss the issue of long-term care insurance and the unprecedented rate hikes that are being granted to some insurance carriers by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. more>>>

All Washington’s children should have coverage

Your June 26 editorial stated there are good fiscal arguments for providing health coverage for all children in Washington. And it correctly states that low-income adults also need help securing health care. more>>>

Nursing home tax finally put to bed

OLYMPIA – It’s taken years of work, but residents of Washington nursing homes can finally say goodbye to a tax that was costing them as much as $1,800 a year. more>>>

Landmark family leave bill signed in time for Mother’s Day

OLYMPIA – After several months of intense negotiations, compromise and some nail biting, a bill setting up a family leave program was signed into law today. Washington will be the second state to offer this benefit. more>>>

Family leave compromise reached

OLYMPIA – Agreement on a landmark bill on family leave insurance was reached today as the state Senate voted 26-21 on a compromise the House approved by a 57-41 vote on April 20. more>>>

Legislature agrees on health care reform bill

OLYMPIA – Of all the bills considered this legislative session, it ranks among the most far-reaching. But then again, overhauling the state’s health care delivery system is heavy lifting. more>>>

Medical marijuana bill on way to governor

OLYMPIA – After intense negotiations, the Legislature reached an agreement on a medical marijuana bill supporters say will bring clarity to a murky area. Senate Bill 6032, sponsored by Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, passed the Legislature and now moves to the governor for her signature. more>>>

Bill treats licensed chiropractors fairly

A patient walks into a clinic with a broken arm. The patient’s primary care doctor is booked solid. Although the clinic has two other medical doctors, the patient is told the insurance provider won’t allow him to see the other available physicians. That’s because his health insurance — the coverage the patient pays monthly premiums for — only extends coverage if a patient is seen by the assigned primary care doctor. more>>>

Senate passes bipartisan bill to aid in fight against hospital-acquired infections

OLYMPIA – We check into hospitals to deliver babies, have tests performed, and undergo and recover from surgery. But we don’t expect to get sick from staying in the hospital. more>>>

It's time for paid family leave benefit for workers

Family leave insurance will help employers retain productive workers without imposing undue burdens. A local mother reminded me all too vividly why I sponsored Senate Bill 5659. more>>>

Medical marijuana bill the right way to go

OLYMPIA – To a room packed with supporters and a number of opponents, Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, testified in favor of her medical marijuana bill in the House Health Care & Wellness Committee today. Senate Bill 6032 passed the Senate on March 14 on a 39-10 vote. Testifying with Kohl-Welles for the bill was Sen. Bob McCaslin, R-Spokane, whose first wife died following an eight-year fight with cancer. more>>>

Mental health parity bill passes Senate

OLYMPIA – Calling it an issue of fairness, Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent, shepherded a mental health parity measure, House Bill 1460, through the state Senate Friday. It is the companion to her own effort, Senate Bill 5446. more>>>

Medical marijuana law clarified in state Senate

OLYMPIA – State law on the use of medical marijuana would be clarified under a measure passed yesterday in the state Senate by a 39-10 vote. While the state’s voters approved the use of marijuana for specific medical purposes with Initiative 692 in 1998, some parts of the law were unclear and some qualifying patients have been subject to law enforcement action. more>>>

Washington Senate leads family leave insurance push

OLYMPIA – Working families would not be forced to choose between their job and their family if the family leave insurance measure passed by the state Senate today is signed into law. more>>>

Transparency is good medicine

Transparency is more than a buzzword. It describes how good public policy is made and it’s why I introduced Senate Bill 5917, requiring pharmaceutical companies to disclose their spending on marketing to physicians. more>>>

It’s the law: Marr bill extends health coverage to 38,000 uninsured children

OLYMPIA — When he chaired the board of directors of Empire Health Services prior to being elected to the state Senate, Sen. Chris Marr, D-Spokane, saw firsthand the far-reaching consequences of children without health coverage. more>>>

Sen. Keiser receives award for children’s health work

OLYMPIA – Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better …

On a landmark day when the governor signed a bill into law to give 38,000 of Washington’s children health-care coverage, Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines/Kent, was presented an award for her leadership efforts in steering the bill’s passage. more>>>

Fairley: We need physical therapist assistants who ‘know what they’re doing’

OLYMPIA – Physical therapy can play a critical part in a victim’s recovery following an accident or injury. However, people undergoing physical therapy procedures can be easily injured by someone who is untrained. more>>>

State health care revolution under way

OLYMPIA – Washington took giant strides to becoming a national leader in providing access to affordable, high-quality health care. The comprehensive reform measure, Senate Bill 5930, sponsored by Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines, passed the Senate on March 9 on a 48-0 vote, with one senator excused. more>>>

Marr bill to protect hospitals from unfair competition passes Senate

OLYMPIA — A bill passed Friday by the state Senate would prevent specialty hospitals from luring away the most profitable patients while leaving community hospitals to care for patients with little or no health insurance. more>>>

March 8, 2007

Franklin’s bill would extend health coverage to foster youth older than age 18

OLYMPIA – Delilah Bruskas was 5 years old when she was placed in foster care. To this day, she doesn’t know why she was separated from her mother and siblings. When she “aged out” of foster care at age 18, she struggled emotionally. Because the state left her without health care coverage, there was little she could do to address her mental health needs. more>>>

Breastfeeding mothers would gain employer support through Franklin bill

OLYMPIA – From brain to bowel, breastfeeding is best for baby. And it isn’t just good for babies, it’s good for mothers too. So if the best food for infants is human breast milk, why aren’t more employers “infant friendly,” providing a private area, other than a restroom or break room, for expressing milk or for rinsing breast-pump equipment? more>>>

Marr’s bill a signature away from extending health care to uninsured children

OLYMPIA — The only thing standing between 38,000 uninsured children and health coverage is Gov. Chris Gregoire’s signature. more>>>

Spokane senator vows to walk farther than any other legislator

OLYMPIA — Sen. Chris Marr, D-Spokane, who has sponsored legislation to require 30 minutes of daily physical activity for students in the first eight grades, is about to literally walk the talk. more>>>

Senate passes bill to bring health care to children

OLYMPIA – Saying that she “couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with this gift to the children of Washington,” Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent, joined with colleagues yesterday to help pass Senate Bill 5093. The measure to bring health insurance to more than 32,000 low-income children passed the Senate on a 38-9 vote. more>>>

Senate passes Marr bill to extend health care to uninsured children

OLYMPIA — Uninsured children across Washington are a step closer to health coverage with the Senate’s passage today of a measure to extend coverage. Senate Bill 5093 passed the Senate on a 38-9 vote, with two excused, and now goes to the House of Representatives for consideration. If it passes the House, Gov. Chris Gregoire is expected to sign it into law. more>>>

Senate health committee takes up governor’s request bill

OLYMPIA – The Senate Health & Long-Term Care Committee continues progress toward bringing health-care reform to Washington, with a focus on bills growing out of the work of Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care Costs and Access. more>>>

If you think children’s health care is expensive, consider the alternative

There are those who will tell you that Washington cannot afford to extend health care insurance to every child in the state. I’m here to tell you we cannot afford not to make sure all our kids are covered. This isn’t my opinion; it’s my experience. more>>>

Insurance reform tops joint hearing on health-care initiatives

OLYMPIA – Today, more than 600,000 Washington residents have no health insurance. Three-quarters of them work or have a working family member. Most work for small employers. more>>>

Keiser blasts president’s health-care proposal

OLYMPIA – Calling President Bush’s proposal for health care a repudiation of the laws of physics, Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent, offered fresh insight into the access and funding dilemma that has vexed the Republican leadership for the past term and a half. more>>>