wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > SB 6292 > Substitute Bill

SB 6292 - Health care financing

Source

Section 1

The legislature finds that:

  1. The health care system in Washington state is at a turning point. Federal actions have undermined the foundation of our health care system, and now more than ever it must function with fewer resources while serving more patients.

  2. A convening of state experts is needed to develop recommendations and strategies to stabilize the health care system, including ensuring access to care and making health care premiums, health care services, and medications more affordable for the residents of Washington state.

Section 2

  1. The joint legislative executive committee on health care financing is established, composed of the following members:

    1. Two members from the house of representatives, representing each of the two largest caucuses;

    2. Two members from the senate, representing each of the two largest caucuses;

    3. A member from the office of the governor, appointed by the

governor;

d. The director of the health care authority or their designee;

e. The secretary of the department of social and health

services or their designee;

f. The secretary of health or their designee;

g. The director of the office of financial management or their designee;

h. The chief executive officer of the health benefit exchange or their designee;

    i. The insurance commissioner or their designee; and

j. A representative from the tribal governments, knowledgeable in Indian health care delivery in the state.

  1. The committee shall hold its first meeting by August 1, 2026, and the committee members shall elect a chair from among its members at the committee's first meeting.

  2. The office of financial management shall staff the committee.

  3. The committee's meetings shall be open to the public pursuant to chapter 42.30 RCW. The office of financial management shall publish on its website the dates and locations of committee meetings, agendas of prior and upcoming meetings, and meeting materials for prior and upcoming meetings. Meetings may be held in person, virtually, or in a hybrid format.

  4. The committee shall investigate strategies and develop policy options to create financing mechanisms to better support statewide health care access and affordable health care coverage. This may include, but is not limited to, recommendations related to:

    1. Health care and prescription drug pricing and purchasing strategies, including consideration of existing care models that have demonstrated improved outcomes and cost savings;

    2. Health care services payment methodologies and alternative payment models, including consideration of existing payment and care models that have demonstrated improved outcomes and cost savings;

    3. Health plan benefit design and consumer cost sharing;

    4. Administrative simplification opportunities for state-purchased health care programs and health insurance markets regulated by the state;

    5. Accessing and leveraging federal funds;

    6. Preserving and strengthening the stability of the individual, small group, and large group health insurance markets;

    7. Identifying at least two specific components of the broader health system that would benefit from direct state action; and

    8. Other topics as identified by the committee.

  5. When considering strategies and developing policy options, the committee shall consult experts in health care financing that have relevant experience with the policy being considered including, but not limited to, health care administrators, provider organizations, health carriers, health care purchasers, health care economists, and the leadership of the standing fiscal committees of the legislature.

  6. The committee shall coordinate with and consult, as necessary, the universal health care commission established under RCW 41.05.840, the health care cost transparency board established under chapter 70.390 RCW, and the prescription drug affordability board established under chapter 70.405 RCW.

  7. The office of financial management may contract with a vendor to conduct an economic and actuarial analysis of recommendations or other data analysis as necessary, and to facilitate the development of the recommendations.

  8. The committee members may be reimbursed for travel expenses as authorized under RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060, and chapter 44.04 RCW as appropriate.

  9. The committee shall deliver a preliminary report to the governor and legislature by January 1, 2027, and a final report by November 1, 2027.

  10. This section expires on January 1, 2028.

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