A new study from the Association of Washington Business underscores what our state’s hospitals experience every day: A regulatory environment that is complex, growing and often duplicative.
While these policies are designed to protect workers and patients, their cumulative effect is more expensive care that is harder to deliver. AWB estimates that more than half of regulatory requirements may qualify as administrative red tape, adding cost and complexity without improving outcomes.
Providers are often required to report the same information across multiple agencies, navigate overlapping rules and divert resources from patient care to administrative tasks. These pressures come at a time when hospitals are trying to balance workforce shortages, rising labor costs and ongoing financial strain.
The cost of regulatory compliance is ultimately covered through higher prices for everyone or reduced access. Administrative complexities also lead to staff dissatisfaction, making it harder to recruit and retain health care workers.
State leaders have made health care affordability a priority. One of the most immediate opportunities to control the rising cost of care lies within their control. By reducing outdated, unnecessary, and duplicative regulations, Washington can move toward lowering costs and improving access. Effectively streamlining regulations means every rule delivers real value without sacrificing safety or quality.
If we are serious about making health care more affordable, addressing regulatory burden is a practical, achievable place to start.
Sincerely,
Cassie Sauer
WSHA President & CEO
[email protected]