NWFCO Health Care Publications

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Health Care Publications

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01-10-08 Insuring Health or Ensuring Profit?: A Look at the Financial Gains of Washington State´s Health Insurers Washington state´s major health insurers are reaping record financial gains while covering fewer people. This report takes a look at recent financial trends in Washington´s health insurance industry, recommending greater public oversight of insurers and the creation of a public alternative to private insurance.

12-04-07 The Small Business Health Care Crisis in Washington: A Survey of Pike Place Market Businesses Not even businesses in Seattle´s bustling, popular, and iconic Pike Place Market are immune from the health care crisis affecting small businesses across the country. Read about these owners´ experiences with health insurance, perspectives on reform, and support for public solutions.

06-15-07 Bar to a Healthy Future: Stories of the Immigrant Children Left Behind This publication describes the experiences of just a few of the children who are left behind by the 1996 (pre-SCHIP) immigration-related restrictions. It also tells the stories of not-so-different children who have benefited from the wise investment in health insurance that should be available to all our young people.

02-27-07 The Reality of Washington´s Uninsured: Recommendations for Providing Secure, Affordable Health Care for All Washington Residents This report provides an accurate picture of the uninsured, addressing common misperceptions of this population. The report then provides policy recommendations for comprehensive reform that will make health insurance accessible to all Washington residents.

02-08-07 Charitable Mission Unknown: Non-Profit Nursing Homes Fall Short of Community Benefit Standards Communities across Washington support their nonprofit health care institutions. They do so, however, with the understanding that in return, these institutions will provide specific community health benefits. This report looks at non-profit nursing homes across Washington to determine whether or not they are providing an adequate community benefit. It goes on to suggest that all non-profit nursing homes should have a plan to offer community benefits.

12-07-06 In Search of Quality Care: Low-Income Seniors Left Behind This report analyzes nursing facilities in Washington, and answers the question of whether facilities are put at a financial disadvantage by serving families who cannot afford to pay high out-of-pocket costs. Additionally, this report investigates the way Medicaid reimbursement rates are set and the effect private paying residents have on those rates.

11-20-06 A Forgotten Authority: The Washington Health Care Facilities Authority is Failing in Its Primary Purpose: To Make Quality Health Care Affordable for Washingtonians This report analyzes the savings that nonprofit health care facilities receive due to financing through the WHCFA. Next, the report reviews what the various health care facilities that have borrowed money through the WHCFA claimed to have done with the savings. Finally, the report addresses what WHCFA has done to enforce the savings requirement.

10-11-06 2006 Northwest Health Gap Study Quality Health Insurance Out of Reach for Small Businesses The Health Gap Study involves a survey of nearly 400 small businesses in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington on their experiences in the health insurance market. It addresses issues of rising costs and declining quality of coverage, along with small businesspeople preferences for future reform.

03-08-06 Medicaid Matters for Idaho´s County Economies This report provides an overview of the contributions Medicaid makes to the economy and the quality of life in Idaho. This analysis measures the economy-wide business activity, jobs, and income produced by Medicaid spending.

02-20-06 Don´t Waiver on Medicaid: Governor Kempthorne´s Proposal for Medicaid Puts Idaho at Risk analyzes the Medicaid waiver proposed by the Governor and the Department of Health and Welfare. The report predicts that, for those who rely on Medicaid, the proposal will lead to increased costs, may restrict benefits, and is likely to cause many people to forego needed medical care. The waiver is also likely to shift health care costs onto counties, health care providers, and people who have health insurance, without generating revenue for the state or addressing the real cost drivers in Medicaid.

01-19-06 Dollars Well Spent? The Need for Transparency in the Health Insurance Market analyzes the Medicaid waiver proposed by the Governor and the Department of Health and Welfare. The report predicts that, for those who rely on Medicaid, the proposal will lead to increased costs, may restrict benefits, and is likely to cause many people to forego needed medical care. The waiver is also likely to shift health care costs onto counties, health care providers, and people who have health insurance, without generating revenue for the state or addressing the real cost drivers in Medicaid.

12-08-05 People or Profits? Providence St. Peter Hospital Fails in its Charitable Mission In 2005, Washington Citizen Action (WCA), a statewide grassroots membership-based organization, began to investigate complaints from its constituents about the billing practices at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia. While WCA heard few complaints about the quality of care provided by the staff at Providence St. Peter´s, many uninsured and underinsured patients have expressed concerns about unfair billing practices at the hospital and a lack of access to the hospital´s charity care programs.

07-20-05 Closing the Gap: Solutions to Race-Based Health Disparites The report documents the persistent problems experienced by communities of color attempting to access health care services across the nation. With a review of the latest research on health disparities, in-depth field research and comprehensive case studies, Closing the Gap reinvigorates the debate over what may be the nation´s greatest public health challenge - the persistent racial divide in access to comprehensive, quality health services.

06-16-05 2005 Northwest Health Gap Study Between high wage earners who have comprehensive employer-based health benefits, and the low income people who are covered through public health programs, lies a rapidly growing population with no coverage or inadequate coverage. These people are in the health gap.

04-05-05 The Private Health Insurance System is Failing Idaho´s Families and Small Businesses More and more Idahoans have no health insurance. And more and more insured Idahoans are insured only on paper. The health insurance crisis has serious consequences for the physical well-being of Idahoans, for the financial security of families, and for the overall economic viability of the state.

02-14-05 The Best Medicine at the Best Price: Pooling Rx Purchases in Idaho Prescription drug costs are rising rapidly across the nation and the Northwest, in all types of health care programs. To deal with these costs, many states have started negotiating lower prescription drug prices from the extremely profitable pharmaceutical companies and they are already saving money. Larger volume purchasers can negotiate larger savings, so states are creating large purchasing pools. By using multi-agency and multi-state prescription drug purchasing pools and/or preferred drug lists, states have projected or realized savings of 5 to 15 percent of their total prescription drug costs.

02-10-05 Insuring and End to Idaho´s Health Care Crisis Small businesses and individuals are struggling to keep up with increases in health insurance premiums. There is a widespread feeling that costs are rising, while quality declines. Idaho has a number of options for restoring accountability, transparency, and integrity in health insurance.

02-02-05 Insuring and End to Montana´s Health Care Crisis Small businesses and individuals are struggling to keep up with increases in health insurance premiums. There is a widespread feeling that costs are rising, while quality declines. Montana has a number of options for restoring accountability, transparency, and integrity in health insurance.

01-20-05 The Best Medicine at the Best Price: Pooling Rx Purchases in Washington State Prescription drug costs are rising rapidly across the nation and the Northwest, in all types of health care programs. To deal with these costs, many states have started negotiating lower prescription drug prices from the extremely profitable pharmaceutical companies and they are already saving money. Larger volume purchasers can negotiate larger savings, so states are creating large purchasing pools. By using multi-agency and multi-state prescription drug purchasing pools and/or preferred drug lists, states have projected or realized savings of 5 to 15 percent of their total prescription drug costs.

04-21-04 Setting the Tone for Health Care Cuts In July 2003, Montana Governor Judy Martz appointed the state´s Public Health Care Advisory Council, kicking off a health care redesign process that could affect the health and well-being of all Montanans. The advisory council is working with the Montana Department of Health and Human Services on recommendations to the 2005 Legislature regarding Medicaid, the Children´s Health Insurance Program, and the Mental Health Services Plan. Setting the Tone for Health Care Cuts: Governor Martz and Montana´s Public Health Care Redesign compares the rhetoric to the truth about publicly funded health care.

02-18-04 Not Even Pennywise: Premiums Will Harm Children, Economy Despite the enormous benefits Medicaid and the Children´s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provide to Washington State´s families and economy, the Legislature is considering charging premiums to many children in these programs. The proposed premiums will wreck havoc on the lives of vulnerable children, cost the state more in the long run, and harm Washington´s economy. This report provides an overview of the important contributions Medicaid and CHIP make to the economy of and quality of life in Washington State, and the devastating impacts of premiums.

02-05-04 Not Our Job: Employers Abandon Health Care Coverage, Leaving Washington Families and the State with the Bill As large businesses cut health benefits or shift costs to employees, more and more workers must forego coverage. This trend means that employment is losing its status as the gateway to health care for working families, who must use publicly funded coverage or go without entirely. When employers leave their workers - especially low-wage employees - without coverage, they are maximizing their profits at the expense of workers and the state. Washington State has the power to level the playing field for working families. Lawmakers should tell large companies that making an appropriate health insurance investment is a condition of doing business in Washington State.

01-29-04 Don´t Lien on Me - Why the State´s Medical Indigency Care Program is Unhealthy for Idahoans Health insurance is the most important vehicle for gaining access to health care services in the United States. It makes a substantial difference in the amount and type of services people are able to obtain. The adverse health consequences for people who do not have health insurance are serious: one study found that the uninsured are almost six times more likely than the insured to have postponed health care for a serious condition because they couldn´t afford it. Other studies focusing on health outcomes for uninsured individuals found that these people are more likely to die in the hospital, implying that they may postpone care until it is too late.

01-13-04 Idaho Lags Behind Region and Nation in Prescription Drug Savings With prescription drug prices on the rise across the nation in all types of healthcare programs, more and more states are pooling the prescription drug purchases of their state agencies, and are joining together with other states to negotiate large prescription drug discounts. As this report details, numerous states are already saving substantial sums using purchasing pools. But Idaho lags behind the Northwest and the nation in negotiating prices from prescription drug manufacturers.

01-07-04 Medicaid Supports Idaho´s County Economics This report provides an overview of the important contributions Medicaid makes to the economy of and quality of life in Idaho. Throughout the state, Medicaid spending directly purchases goods and services, and supports healthcare industry jobs for Idaho´s counties. And these direct healthcare purchases trigger further cycles of earning and purchases that ripple throughout the economy, affecting individuals and businesses not directly associated with healthcare, and generating jobs, income, and economic activity.

10-30-03 Living Sicker, Dying Younger - Montana´s Indian people have poorer health, higher disease rates, lower life expectancy and greater difficulty obtaining healthcare than other Montanans. Nearly 40 percent of American Indian Montanans are uninsured. Many are ineligible for Indian Health Services (IHS) because they do not live on a reservation and/or are not a member of a federally recognized tribe. And the American Indian Montanans who do have access to IHS do not receive comprehensive healthcare; they must deal with severe underfunding and understaffing, as well as long wait lists and rationed care. Many Indian people are unable to receive needed care.

09-29-03 New Mexico Considers Universal Health Care Coverage, But Will Universal Also Mean Quality and Affordable? Governor Bill Richardson handily won his election in 2003, returning the state to Democratic rule after eight years under a Republican governor. Richardson campaigned on universal health care, promising health care coverage to every New Mexican within four years. While his health care task force continues to meet and a formal plan has not yet been developed, Richardson´s embrace of the Medicaid waiver and his cuts to Medicaid have advocates concerned that his vision of universal health care is significantly different than theirs.

09-29-03 How Do the Democratic Presidential Candidates´ Health Care Plans Stack Up? All the Democratic presidential candidates have made detail-laden speeches explaining how they would provide health coverage for uninsured Americans and revamp the Bush administration´s tax policies. Still, the proposals from the Democratic candidates represent an abandonment of the incremental steps in political favor since the Clinton plan was quashed in 1994 and promise to dramatically reduce the number of uninsured. With the exception of long-shot candidate Kucinich, all the plans build upon the existing public and private health insurance system.

09-29-03 Idaho´s Challenge: Is Something Always Better Than Nothing When it Comes to Health Care? Since Idaho Governor Batt used the CHIP funds to expand Medicaid for children up to 150 percent of poverty by executive order in 1997, Idaho Republicans have been looking for ways to gut the state´s already lean Medicaid program. By crafting an expansion program that promises to provide some health insurance to those who currently have none, Senator Dean Cameron managed to effectively silence opposition to reduced benefits and increased cost-sharing. His program, the Access Card, uses federal CHIP matching dollars to subsidize the cost of purchasing health insurance on the private market.

09-29-03 Maine Builds Universal Health Coverage, But Will Employers Come? Maine´s Governor Baldacci made health care a central issue of his campaign, frequently referring to Maine´s "health care crisis" during speeches. Over 180,000 Mainers are without health care coverage, and the state faces rapidly rising health care costs. Dirigo Health was the centerpiece of Governor Baldacci´s legislation agenda. Dirigo Health follows several years of significant health care advances in Maine, including the groundbreaking prescription drug negotiated discount program and a patients´ bill of rights. While Dirigo Health offers the promise of employer-based universal coverage, it remains to be seen if employers will participate, a necessary element for its success.

07-31-03 Medicaid: Someone You Know Needs It - The Impact of Medicaid Spending on....
» King County´s Economy
» The Economies of Pierce and Thurston Counties
» Snohomish County´s Economy
» Spokane County´s Economy
The above reports provide overviews of the important contributions Medicaid make to the economies of and the quality of life in the above counties. Medicaid spending directly purchases goods and services, and supports healthcare industry jobs. And these direct healthcare purchases trigger further cycles of earning and purchases that ripple throughout the above counties, affecting individuals and businesses not directly associated with healthcare, and generating jobs, income, and economic activity.

04-14-03 No End in Sight Over the past five years, Montana´s Legislature passed large tax breaks for big corporations and wealthy Montanans. The recent recession, coupled with years of these tax breaks, has resulted in dramatic declines in state revenue. Montana ends the legislative session basically where it began: with an unstable revenue stream, and deep cuts to public programs that worsen economic conditions, increase the state´s long term costs and budget problems, and shred Montana´s safety net eliminating many of the supports Montana´s poorest families need to live safe, healthy, and productive lives. Montana´s budget has a revenue problem, and needs revenue solutions that will adequately and stably fund Montana´s programs.

03-31-03 Reverse Washington State´s Health Care Inequalities Nationwide, people of color are at a greater risk of being uninsured than are whites, and they face many more obstacles to accessing the health care they need. The disparities in the availability of quality health care are mirrored by poorer health outcomes among people of color. Although Washington is considered a leader in health care, when it comes to health coverage people of color still fare far worse here than do whites. Increased commitment to health care access - and not a withdrawal from prior commitments - is needed to reverse our state´s great health care inequality. Fixing the grave racial disparities in Washington´s health care system must become a priority of our government.

03-26-03 Cut Costs Not Services While some states have implemented strategies that harm consumers and don´t address rising prescription drug prices, other states have started negotiating lower prescription drug prices from the extremely profitable pharmaceutical companies - and they are already saving money. By using multi-agency and multi-state prescription drug purchasing pools and/or preferred drug lists, states have projected or realized savings of 5 to 15 percent of their total prescription drug costs.

01-24-03 The Best Medicine at the Best Price Prescription drugs are a top driver of Northwest state´s Medicaid budgets. Many strategies have been implemented and proposed by Northwest states that harm consumers and do not address rising prescription drug prices. By using mult-agency and multi-state prescription drug purchasing pools states in the Norhtwest can save 5 to 15 percent of their total prescription drug costs.

01-20-03 Restore Adult Dental Care - Restore Idaho´s Dignity In April, 2002 the Idaho Legislature eliminated adult dental care from the Medicaid program leaving participants without access to affordable dental services. Why Idaho needs to restore dental services.

07-05-02 Invest in Medicaid, Strengthen Families. Personal stories of how Medicaid has improved the lives of low-income families and what should be done to protect and improve Medicaid.

04-01-02 The Impact of Prescription Drug Prices on Seniors. Seniors in Oregon are disproportionately affected by increasing drug prices. The state can take steps to make prescription drug prices more affordable.

03-01-02 Medicaid and State Budgets. Idaho implemented major cuts to CHIP in an effort to decrease costs, leaving many children ineligible for healthcare coverage. Why those cuts were unneccessary and must be reversed.

02-01-02 Drug Buying Pools. Washington´s state budget is increasingly burdened by rising prescription drug costs. The creation of a regional state buying pool can help alleviate the current strain.

02-01-02 Idaho´s Drug Costs on the Rise. Idaho´s state budget is increasingly burdened by rising prescription drug costs, but changes can be made to save millions of dollars.

01-01-02 CHIP Ensuring Every Idaho Child. As healthcare costs rise, CHIP continues to be successful and cost effective. This report explains how Idaho can continue to insure children and access more federal dollars.

09-01-01 Don´t Waiver on Health Care. Washington´s plan to apply for a federal waiver for the state´s Medicaid program threatens to cut services and enrollment. This report explains why a Medicaid waiver is harmful to those receiving public healthcare.

03-01-01 Washington Health Care Programs Make a Difference. Public healthcare programs provide vital, affordable healthcare to low-income residents. The Washington legislature needs to ensure continued and expanded access to the Basic Health, Medicaid and CHIP.

01-01-01 Making Prescription Drugs Affordable. Prescription drug costs have skyrocketed, leaving the uninsured particularly unable to buy needed medicine. This report explains how Washington state policymakers can help make prescriptions more affordable.

01-01-01 Medicaid Makes a Difference. Medicaid has failed to provide every Idahoan with needed coverage. However, Idaho has the opportunity to increase healthcare coverage for children and working poor families.

12-01-00 Investing in Montana´s Families. Working families in Montana cannot afford health insurance, but a new federal opportunity allows Montana to create an affordable insurance program at minimal cost.

08-01-00 Shortchanging Our Children. The Arkansas enrollment process for the ARKids health insurance program prevents children from accessing the healthcare they need. New policies can improve eligibility.

05-01-00 No Healthy Start in Montana, State enrollment process prevents children from accessing CHIP and Medicaid. This report discusses how Montana can provide greater health insurance coverage to children.

01-01-00 Investing in Idaho´s Families. Many Idaho families do not have healthcare insurance, but by using federal funds, Medicaid can expand so more children and working families will receive the important health coverage they need.