There is clearly no certainty as to what will happen in Washington DC with the efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. As the legislature works this year to develop its four- year budget, the discussions in DC have large ramifications for Washington State’s budget. A study by the state shows that Washington would need to provide an additional $1.3 billion a year, if it decides to keep the newly enrolled covered in a scenario where the enhanced federal match is eliminated and the state only receives its usual 50/50 match rate.
News articles indicate most states are not yet developing contingency plans due to the uncertainty of the federal actions. WSHA’s number one policy goal is to preserve the coverage expansions for people in Washington State. We have met with our Congressional delegation and continue to engage them about hospital priorities, including having a replacement before Congress repeals the ACA. More information on Keep Washington Covered is available, including a map that shows the numbers of subsidized newly enrolled persons by county. (Claudia Sanders, claudias@wsha.org)
