Seaquist named to new Health and Human Services Committee

June 19, 2008

OLYMPIA – The House announced this week the formation of a new Appropriations Subcommittee, focusing on Health and Human Services. State Rep. Larry Seaquist was one of the small group of legislators selected for this new assignment.

Seaquist welcomed his new duties. “We have to move aggressively to fix health care, starting with controlling costs,” Seaquist said. “I commend our House leadership for this foresighted change. This will improve our oversight of the roughly $10 billion that the state spends on health care. Health care is a $50 Billion dollar industry and one of the largest employers in the state.”

The Subcommittee will also work on Appropriations issues and legislation related to human service issues.

“By focusing a subcommittee specifically on our health budget and health economics, I think we can shed a lot of light on what I see as the biggest health care problem—cost,” Seaquist said. “Health care costs are rising faster than inflation. Some of our hard working families are losing their homes when an expensive medical emergency leads to bankruptcy. And the competitiveness of our businesses, large and small, is being hurt by ever-increasing health care costs.

The new committee will be chaired by Rep. Eric Pettigrew, D-Seattle, who has long championed human service issues. Seaquist applauded his selection, saying he will “bring the right perspectives and leadership to this important new subcommittee.”

While a schedule hasn’t been set, work is expected to begin shortly through the subcommittee. Seaquist has been at work on these problems for some time as a member of the Health Care and Wellness policy committee.

“We have to prepare some bold new reforms and get ready for serious cost cutting in the next legislature,” Seaquist said. “From talking to citizens all over our district, it is clear our health care crisis is getting worse. It’s critical we begin talking and working now on ways to bring affordable and accessible health care coverage to all the businesses and all of the people of Washington.”