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Budget Outline 2013-15
In 2013 the Legislature has three big budget problems to address. It may be that there are other issues for the Legislature (gun safety, mental health, transportation…) but as the budget chair I have an odd focus on what I’m responsible for. Balance the 2013-15 budget, plus make sure that the 2015-17 budget is structurally…
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2013 Legislative Agenda
My agenda for 2013 is simple to outline here, but I expect great difficulties in working through it: Produce a budget that balances for 2013-15 and 2015-17, resolves the McCleary education funding decision, implements the Medicaid expansion envisioned in the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), and projects rationally into the future. Inside the education box make some strategic…
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Today’s speech at Redmond Chamber of Commerce
A super crowd at the Redmond Chamber today. It was great to see everyone. I said I’d post the slides from today’s talk and here they are. WA State Budget Preview (PDF, requires Adobe Reader.)
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Workers Comp Fraud?
The New York Times ran an article a few weeks ago that a constituent sent me for comment. He wanted to know if the same fraud occurred in Washington. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/12/business/some-physicians-making-millions-selling-drugs.html?smid=pl-share In some states doctors providing care under workers compensation were running schemes that resulted in their making crazy money selling drugs directly to patients. You…
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Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Fundraising
Fortunately you all haven’t seen me looking like this in a long time. in 2005 I was diagnosed with non-hodgkins lymphoma. I went through a fair amount of chemotherapy and then a stem-cell transplant in 2007. It’s been five years and all good so far. Thank you Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center and everyone else…
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End of Session Budget Update
Thank you for allowing me to represent you in the Washington State Legislature. It’s an honor and a privilege. This year was pretty “special.” There’s nothing like a little drama to spice up a legislator’s life. This session had it all – defections on budget votes, protesters requiring hearings to be shut down, people being…
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Healthcare cost reduction: non-obvious solutions
If you’re interested in how to reduce healthcare costs you might want to watch this Frontline video from PBS. http://video.pbs.org/video/2070853636/ It’s about an article Dr. Atul Gowande wrote in the New Yorker in January that is an amazing look into non-obvious cost generation. It’s a long read, and a solution that tries to deal with…
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Slowing the Growth of Medicaid
New York state has a process for meeting an attractive goal: slowing the growth of Medicaid spending to the level of medical inflation. The New York Times opined positively on it in March. The article is worth reading and it sounds really great, but you have to understand what it means. Medicaid cost growth has…
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House Budget Proposal
Earlier this month I released the House budget proposal for 2011-13. Just before the end of the regular session, the Senate released their proposal. I asked for the job of chairman of the budget committee, but it’s clear my timing with the economy might have been better. This budget is responsible, thoughtful, and sustainable. I’ve…