2021 Legislative Agenda and Plan

Better Health Together (BHT) is committed to its racial equity journey, embedding it in all aspects of our work, including our public policy priorities. We were founded on the principle that when we step back and let the local community lead, we find the most sustainable and thoughtful solutions to our most complex problems. With a mostly virtual legislative session before us, we urge the Legislature to be intentional in its inclusion of the voices of Black, Indigenous, and people of color in its decision making.

Priorities

Support the cost-neutral extension of the Medicaid Transformation Project (MTP) by one year through December 2022

The Medicaid Transformation Project (also known as the 1115 waiver) provides the State with the flexibility to spend Medicaid funds to:

o   Build healthier communities through local partnerships.

o   Improve how we pay for services by moving from a fee-for-service model to value-based payment.

o   Focus on whole-person care, including physical health, mental health, and substance use disorder in one system through an integrated network.

Accountable Communities of Health (ACHs) represent one of the five MTP initiatives. ACHs are community-based partnerships. They bring together health care payers and providers, public health, social services, community-based organizations, the justice system, schools, tribal partners, community members, and local government leaders to address community health. ACHs seek to improve care, lower costs, and strengthen communities.

Maintain funding for Adult Medicaid Dental. Preserving Adult Medicaid Dental is essential to the health and vitality of our state. Oral health is a health care issue but is also a COVID-19 response issue. Unserved dental needs can also become Emergency Room crises. As we continue to move our way through COVID, keeping our Emergency Rooms open for COVID emergency care is critical. 

Support capital and operating budget investments to enhance digital equity. COVID has accelerated the needed focus on digital equity. With students’ distance learning, employees working from home, and health care delivery via telehealth, inadequacies in broadband coverage and affordability are clear. BHT supports funding for the Department of Commerce’s Office of Broadband to help position the State for federal funding. This funding would go toward low-income Washingtonians to purchase devices and internet subscriptions, and capital investments.

Support increasing behavioral health reimbursement rates. There is widespread support for increasing the reimbursement rate for behavioral health. The currently inadequate reimbursement rate hampers access and hinders competitive recruitment and retention of a skilled behavioral health workforce. With behavioral health needs rapidly rising as COVID continues to ravage our state, increasing the behavioral health reimbursement rate becomes even more critical.

Support efforts to increase access to affordable housing. Increasing access and placement in safe, stable, and affordable housing is a crucial social determinant of health. BHT supports capital and operating budget investments to increase housing access, including the continuation of the Better Health through Housing pilot program.

Contact Erica Hallock at (509) 991-2390 or ehallock1224@gmail.com for more information.