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Every day Community Health Plan serves as a leading advocate for Washington residents who are either uninsured or underinsured. As the primary safety net plan for Washington State, the Plan is recognized for regularly putting patients before profits.
Our goal is to advance health care access and eliminate disparities in medical care. To this end, we dedicate thousands of employee hours each year to inform and educate state and federal government policy makers on behalf of our communities.
We also know it takes action to ensure access to health care for every person in Washington. So, across the state we organize within the communities we serve and work directly with consumers, service providers, and advocacy groups to make health care more widely available and to create programs and systems that address the growing need for affordable health care.
The recently proposed state budget cuts will hurt our community health centers and the people they serve across the state. We hope that some of these cuts can be reversed, but for now, the following cuts have been proposed for early 2012:
· 35,000 adults losing Basic Health coverage,
· 21,000 people cut from chemical dependency, mental health, and medical services with the elimination of Disability Lifeline (now Medical Care Services) and ADATSA programs,
· Up to 160,000 children could be impacted by changes and potential elimination of programs under Apple Health for Kids,
· 55,000 women with high risk pregnancies losing maternity support services,
· 38,000 people losing dental coverage, and
· 71,000 people losing access to interpreter services
Education, corrections, and many other programs are also taking deep cuts. If the economy does not recover, these programs and services will disappear. Without them, the primary care safety net will be at risk for serious consequences. New revenues must be identified as part of the solution.
Cuts will be a direct hit to vulnerable people and Washington CHCs
Many low-income Washingtonians will lose health care services if these cuts take place. For many of them, subsidized health care is the thing keeping them employed or in housing. For others, their health coverage may be the thing keeping them from permanent disability.
These new cuts come on top of three years worth of cuts to public health care programs that totaled more than $1 billion and hurt hundreds of thousands of people. CHCs across Washington have been forced to eliminate cost-effective programs, lay off staff, and even close clinic sites. This new round of cuts will set off another wave of need that simply cannot be met by the current level of resources.
Cuts will be a direct hit to vulnerable people and Washington CHCs
Many low-income Washingtonians will lose health care services if these cuts take place. For many of them, subsidized health care is the thing keeping them employed or in housing. For others, their health coverage may be the thing keeping them from permanent disability.
These new cuts come on top of three years worth of cuts to public health care programs that totaled more than $1 billion and hurt hundreds of thousands of people. CHCs across Washington have been forced to eliminate cost-effective programs, lay off staff, and even close clinic sites. This new round of cuts will set off another wave of need that simply cannot be met by the current level of resources.
Community Health Plan of Washington is an active advocate in policy and governmental relations carrying the voice of Washington residents. Our goal is to advance health care access and eliminate disparities in medical care.