Governor Gregoire's Budget for Health Care
“Washington families must have access to high-quality, affordable health care.”
Provides high-quality health care
Delivers on our promise to provide health insurance for children. Ensures that all children eligible for state health care programs are enrolled so that they may access care and stay healthy. Expands outreach to inform families that their children can get state health insurance coverage. Covers an additional 32,000 Washington kids. $30.8 million GF-State, $29.8 million federal funds
Gives pediatricians a fair reimbursement. Ensures that children covered by Medicaid get the medical treatment they need by increasing the rates paid for pediatric services to equal to the rates paid for these same services under the State Employee Uniform Medical Plan. $15.8 million GF-State, $13.4 million federal funds
Covers prescription co-pays for seniors on Medicare. Helps seniors and other vulnerable populations who are enrolled in the new Medicare prescription drug program, Part D, to cover the cost of their prescription drugs. Because these people lack the resources to pay on their own, Governor Gregoire negotiated one-time federal funding last year to cover the co-pays, while seeking federal action to cover these costs in the future. Until the federal government acts, we will make sure that low-income seniors and others with debilitating conditions continue to have access to life-saving medications. $6.08 million GF-State
Makes prescription drugs more affordable. Partners with Oregon to expand the Prescription Drug Consortium, using evidence-based and bulk purchasing strategies that have saved the state $46 million in the past two years and are expected to save an additional $21 million next year in the purchase of prescription drugs. $871,000 Health Services Account
Manages chronic illness better. Modifies the Washington State Collaborative to train providers in delivering a “medical home” chronic-care model. Changes chronic care management from focusing on a single disease to addressing multiple, interrelated conditions. Incorporates the concept of a medical home into programs currently assisting patients who struggle with multiple chronic diseases, such as diabetes, asthma and congestive heart failure. $2.2 million GF-State, $816,000 federal funds
Keeps foster kids healthy. Improves care for foster children with a pilot Center for Foster Care Health Services, which provides medical evaluations within 72 hours of a child’s entry into foster care, timely access to medically necessary primary and specialty health services, and a medical home for one-stop coordinated care. $972,000 GF-State, $1 million federal funds
Promotes prevention and responsibility
Increases childhood immunizations. Supports routine immunizations and provides new vaccines for rotovirus, which causes childhood diarrhea, the virus associated with cervical cancer and chicken pox. Maintains Washington’s designation as a “universal vaccination” state by the Centers for Disease Control, protecting all our children from preventable disease. $26.2 million Health Services Account
Prevents and treats disease. Increases testing, education, prevention and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhea. $5.1 million GF-State, $1.4 million local funds
Provides better information
Protects the public health. Investigates communicable diseases in a timely fashion. Promotes public awareness of healthy lifestyles, including nutrition and physical activity. $10 million GF-State
Helps people figure out cost and quality. Supports statewide expansion of the Puget Sound Health Alliance’s common database to provide Washingtonians with accurate, consistent information on the quality and cost of health care services. The Puget Sound Health Alliance brings together providers, carriers, consumers and employers to address health care quality and costs. $2 million Health Services Account
Provides better information for families. Pilots a health care literacy program that gives families the tools they need to make informed decisions about their children’s health, such as when to go to the emergency room and how to take care of common illnesses. Provides grants to local community organizations in a public-private partnership with Johnson & Johnson and the Johnson & Johnson/UCLA Health Care Institute. $442,000 Health Services Account
Helps people navigate the health care system. Creates a pilot “health navigator” system to assist racial, ethnic and cultural minorities in obtaining quality care. Minorities are at disproportionate risk of receiving poorer health care due to language and cultural barriers. Health navigators will help people through the health care system, ensuring that patients receive high-quality and timely care. $1.4 million GF-State
Improves the use of information technology
Expands technology compatibility among providers. Gives patients and providers better access to medical records. Demonstrates health information systems that can talk to each other from anywhere in the state, similar to how consumers access their bank account information. Establishes a public-private partnership to help providers install health information technology systems. $9 million Health Services Account
Connects state health care facilities with electronic medical records. Develops a strategy to incorporate the use of electronic medical records in state facilities such as Eastern and Western State Hospitals and the Departments of Social and Health Services, Corrections and Veterans Affairs, to ensure that patients and providers have timely and secure access to health information. $2.7 million GF-State