H-4581.1          _______________________________________________

                             HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 4038

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1992 Regular Session

By Representatives Franklin, Paris, Day, Braddock, Moyer, Morris, Cantwell, Prentice, Edmondson, Casada, Ogden, Roland, G. Cole, Haugen, Zellinsky, Heavey, J. Kohl, Rust, Ebersole, Hine, Mitchell, O'Brien, Spanel, Betrozoff and Jones

Read first time 02/07/92.  Referred to Committee on Health Care.

Requesting Congress and the President to reach a consensus on health care reform.

     TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

     We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

     WHEREAS, Health care expenditures in the United States are estimated to reach $738 billion in 1991 and $817 billion in 1992, an increase of 11%; and

     WHEREAS, The rate of health care expenditure increases will average 12% to 13% over the next five years, according to the United States Commerce Department, and shows no likelihood of decreasing in future years; and

     WHEREAS, These health care costs have grown at a rate in excess of the rate of growth in personal and business income and general government revenues, threatening the ability of businesses, individuals, and the federal and state governments to maintain their current commitments to purchasing health services or providing health insurance coverage; and

     WHEREAS, Rapidly increasing health care expenditures severely limit the federal and state governments' ability to adequately fund other important areas of government spending, such as common school education, higher education, and infrastructure; and

     WHEREAS, An unacceptably high number of Americans have no health insurance or inadequate health insurance, putting them at risk of serious illness and financial catastrophe; and

     WHEREAS, The State of Washington has reached consensus on several significant steps to address problems in our health care system, including development of the Washington Basic Health Plan and the First Steps and Second Steps maternal and child health programs and establishment of the Washington Health Care Cost Control and Access Commission, a group representing varied health care interests, which has developed consensus recommendations on health care reform for the Governor and the legislature of the State of Washington;

     NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the United States Congress and the United States President reach a consensus on the issue of health care reform that builds upon the principles of containing health care costs and providing universal access to health care services, without compromising the strengths of the United States health care system related to quality of care.

     BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George Bush, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.