Washington Policy On The Go is WPC’s bi-weekly (weekly during the legislative session) virtual lunchtime event series featuring center directors and guests to inform you on the latest in Washington State policy research and analysis. This episode features WPC Center for Health Care and Center for Worker Rights Director Elizabeth New talking about why new medical costs are up so high, and how we had predicted this would happen.
00:00 – Introduction
02:04 – Finger-pointing over premiums
03:19 – WA policy impacts on costs
03:47 – Low Medicaid rates, price caps, medical debt taxes
04:22 – Uncompensated care & ER concerns
04:56 – Redirecting dollars to offset uninsured care
05:31 – State vs federal blame
06:24 – $780M Medicaid cuts cited (OPR)
07:23 – Federal distraction vs WA policies (“squirrel”)
08:10 – Hidden tax via underpayment & cost shifting
09:29 – Cost containment vs cost shifting
10:09 – ER education program & alternatives
11:42 – Are lawmakers changing course?
12:15 – Push toward universal taxpayer-funded care
13:42 – Alternatives ignored; other states backed off
15:29 – Telehealth pricing & consumer choice
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