Washington State
Health Reform Efforts
National Health Policy Conference
February 4, 2008
Richard K. Onizuka, PhD
Health Policy Director
Today’s Presentation
Health Reform Efforts
Blue Ribbon Commission on Health
Care Costs and Access
Health Information Technology Pilot
Project
What Washington Can Do for
Washington…and Other States
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State Facts

Population ~ 6.4 million

Only state named after US President

State spending on health care ~ $4.5B, up
from $2.7B in 2000

Percent of state budget ~ 28%, up from 22%
in 2000
 Approximately 593,000
insured, includes 73,000
children (2006 estimates)

Produces more apples than
any other state
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Governor Chris Gregoire’s FivePoint Health Care Strategy

Emphasize evidence-based health care

Promote prevention, healthy lifestyles, and
healthy choices

Better manage chronic care

Create more transparency in the health care
system

Make better use of information technology
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Blue Ribbon Commission
Strategies




High-quality, high-performing health care
system
Affordable health insurance options
Next generation health
Health promotion and prevention
Recommendation #4 (of 16)

Health information technology
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Senate Bill 5930
“An act relating to providing highquality, affordable health care to
Washingtonians based on the
recommendations of the Blue Ribbon
Commission on Health Care Costs and
Access”
Section 10:
• Health information infrastructure
• Consumer-centric health record banking
Goal:
Deliver health information - when and
where needed
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HIT Efforts
SSB 5064 (2005): Health Information
Technology



Health Information Infrastructure Advisory
Board (HIIAB)
EMR and Health IT Strategy
Final Report - December 2006


Health Record Banking
Roadmap for State Action
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Consumer-Centric
Health Record Banks



Consumer controlled
High-value data set
Repository for “copies”





Deposit
Withdraw
Query
Secure, private, & confidential
Engagement innovation
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Health Record Banking Model
High-Value Data Set
Health Record
Bank A
Patient
Input/Access
PHR
Patient
Permission?
Health Record
Bank B
ALS
Clinical Encounter
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HIT Initiatives
State Alliance
for e-Health
Arizona
HISPC
Dossia
CCHIT
Oregon
RWJF
ONCHIT
Florida
SCI
HealthVault
AHIC
Markle Foundation
HITSP
Kentucky
Google
Revolution Health
HL 7
CMS: MTG
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What Washington Can Do
(one State’s opinion)

Develop national standards

Funding – describe, not prescribe

Fund pilot and evaluation of difficult solutions
(e.g., financial sustainability)

Find out what states need

Please, not more policy committees
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Federal Action
“…the most promising avenue for
extending health insurance coverage,
limiting growth of spending, and
improving the quality of care lies in
action by the states, abetted by
federal legislation and regulation that
will encourage this state action”
Henry J. Aaron, The Brookings Institution
Testimony Before the Committee on the Budget
September 11, 2007
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Washington State Health
Reform Efforts
Questions?
richard.onizuka@hca.wa.gov
(360) 923-2820
http://www.hca.wa.gov
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