Bill Alert SB 5083

Bill Summary.

  • Increased Access to Healthcare Services: Public employees and their dependents may experience more consistent access to healthcare due to the mandated contracting between hospitals and contractors. Additionally, the reimbursement requirements for rural and specialty hospitals, as well as primary care and behavioral health services, aim to ensure the availability of essential medical services.
  • Control of Healthcare Costs: Reimbursement limits tied to percentages of Medicare rates could lead to cost containment for medical services. This might result in more predictable and potentially lower healthcare premiums for public employees, benefiting their financial stability.
  • Focus on Quality and Transparency: The requirement for contractors to share cost and quality data for monitoring and program improvement, along with incentives for better health outcomes, may lead to improved healthcare service quality. Annual reports will provide transparency regarding the policy's impact, fostering adjustments as needed.

As part of its work, the ICSEW Legislative and Policy subcommittee provides Bill Alerts during the current legislative cycle. Its purpose is to inform state employees of pending legislation that may impact them.


As state employees, we cannot use state time or resources to lobby for or against legislative proposals in accordance with RCW 
42.52.160 and RCW 42.52.180, laws concerning ethics in public service and use of public resources for political campaigns.


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