Bill > SB5149

This bill aims to improve the funding and capacity of Washington state's public health system. Key provisions include: 1. Assessing a per-member-per-month fee on health carriers, Medicaid managed care organizations, and third-party administrators to generate $100-200 million annually for foundational public health services. This assessment will be phased in over several years. 2. Requiring third-party administrators to register with the state insurance commissioner and imposing penalties for non-compliance. 3. Directing the revenue from the assessment and a portion of the state's vapor product tax to the Foundational Public Health Services Account to fund critical public health activities, including disease prevention, substance use prevention, and training of public health professionals. The bill recognizes the need to strengthen the public health system, especially in light of challenges exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and seeks to provide dedicated, sustainable funding to improve the overall health and well-being of Washington residents, including Medicaid enrollees.

Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5149&Year=2021&Initiative=false