Washington State Wire: WA is One Floor Vote Away from a Pathway to Universal Healthcare
By BEVIN MCLEOD, COUNCILMEMBER JEANNE KOHL-WELLES, VICKI LOWE, & TEAMSTERS JOINT COUNCIL 28
Washington State is facing a health care crisis. This crisis affects every facet of our society, as individuals and businesses alike are shouldered with the economic burden of an unsustainable system. That is why we must pass SB 5822 into law.
The leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the U.S. is medical debt, and some businesses are losing contracts overseas or closing their doors for good due to rising health care costs.
Behavioral health providers are overburdened and underpaid while rates of gun violence, suicide, and substance abuse rise. Environmental degradation is leading to increased rates of conditions such as asthma and cancer, and rural health care facilities are closing their doors as private insurers flee uncertain markets.