H-4379.1          _______________________________________________

                             HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 4040

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1992 Regular Session

By Representatives Bowman, Sprenkle, Moyer, Zellinsky, Schmidt, Kremen, Tate, Sheldon, Paris, Morris, Brough, Carlson, Forner and D. Sommers

Read first time 02/15/92.  Referred to Committee on Health Care.Requesting the continuance of the Washington Health Care Commission.

     TO THE HONORABLE BOOTH GARDNER, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, AND TO THE WASHINGTON HEALTH CARE COMMISSION:

     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, The Legislature established the Washington Health Care Commission in 1990 to achieve five goals:  Control health costs, provide universal access to health services, develop incentives for the use of appropriate and effective health services, reform the health care liability system, and improve state health care purchasing; and

     WHEREAS, The Commission's 1991 Interim Report to the Governor and the Legislature demonstrates an admirable effort to involve Washington citizens involved in the health care delivery system and as health care consumers; and

     WHEREAS, The Commission and its staff were extremely successful in gathering and analyzing health care data to more clearly define the five goals of the Commission as well as identify specific avenues for achieving those goals; and

     WHEREAS, The Legislature finds that the health and welfare of the citizens of Washington would be significantly harmed if the Commission and the citizens, employers, and government of Washington did not complete the work begun by the Commission;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage the Commission to implement its plan for 1992 and continue its efforts to address reforms of the health system; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives endorse the Commission's work program outlined in its 1991 Interim Report which is:

     Continued design and cost analysis of an initial package of a uniform set of health services for all Washington citizens;

     Evaluation of additional finance and payment system reforms, including the role of employers, responsibilities for system financing, additional responsibilities and authorities of the new state board or commission to guide the reformed health system, and a method for financing those uniform health services not included in the uniform benefits package;

     Development of strategies for overcoming nonfinancial barriers to accessing health services;

     Identification of incentives to encourage the use of appropriate and effective health services and to encourage healthy behaviors; and

     Further development and evaluation of the prevention and process strategies identified by the Commission in 1991 to reform the health care liability system; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives to the Governor of the state of Washington and the Washington Health Care Commission.