Labor-backed affordable health care bill passes House

UPDATE (April 11, 2019) — ESSB 5526, the Cascade Care bill that will reduce what Washingtonians pay for health insurance and deductibles while assuring access to quality care in the individual market, passed the House 54-38 on Wednesday! Stay tuned for more updates.

Cascade Care (ESSB 5526) will cut health insurance costs, ensure quality care

The following Action Alert is from the Washington Work and Family Coalition, which includes the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO and several of its affiliated unions:

OLYMPIA (April 9, 2019) — Did you see the recent survey finding that Americans borrowed $88 billion last year to pay for health care? Additionally, 25 percent skipped treatment because of the high cost. It’s true, and we bet you know someone affected by high health care costs this past year.

Let’s tell our legislators that Washington families deserve affordable health care.

We can do better for Washington families with ESSB 5526, Cascade Care. This legislation will reduce the amount Washingtonians pay for health insurance and deductibles while assuring access to quality care in the individual market. It will provide a safety net for individuals and families with no other insurance option, while improving the entire health care system by driving down costs. To make health care affordable, Cascade Care also includes cost transparency and containment measures.

But industry lobbyists are pushing hard to strip common sense caps on what hospitals can charge, and to take away the provisions that would make health care accessible for working families.

Urge your State Representatives to pass ESSB 5526, with meaningful cost caps that will make health care more affordable.

Learn more about Cascade Care here.