While Republican leaders in Washington, D.C., aim to repeal Obamacare, hospital leaders in Washington state want to preserve a key benefit of the law, coverage for 600,000 Washingtonians who were uninsured.
With Republicans in Washington, D.C., pledging to repeal the Affordable Care Act, or key parts of it, and a plan to replace it uncertain, hospital leaders in Washington state are trying to preserve what they see as a crucial benefit of the law known as Obamacare.
Hospital officials from Elma to Yakima say that by expanding Medicaid insurance to 600,000 lower-income Washingtonians, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has allowed them to help more patients and innovate with care that could prove a boon in the long run.
There's not a coalition with a name and letterhead, said Cassie Sauer, incoming CEO of the Washington State Hospital Association. But association members plan to meet with the congressional delegation in coming weeks, and hospitals hope to work with doctors and insurers to keep coverage for those who gained it through the ACA.
