Talks Stalled Over Rewriting Health Reform

Negotiations to rewrite the state’s landmark health care reform law appeared stalled Friday despite earlier optimistic talk of reaching agreement between House Republicans and Senate Democrats.

House Health Care Chairman Phil Dyer, R-Issaquah, said he was angry at the lack of progress and doubted an accord would emerge anytime soon.

His Senate counterpart, Kevin Quigley, D-Lake Stevens, said the sides “have established their positions and the governor is getting involved with some proposed compromises.”

Their comments contrasted sharply with statements earlier this week from House Speaker Clyde Ballard, R-Wenatchee, and Senate Minority Leader Dan McDonald, R-Bellevue, both of whom said a breakthrough appeared imminent.

That was before a Thursday night meeting by Dyer, Quigley and Gov. Mike Lowry that ended with the sides sounding further apart than ever, Dyer said.

The House is pushing for virtual repeal of the 1993 Health Services Act, which aims to provide affordable health care for all by mid-1999. Senate Democrats and fellow party member Lowry agree the law needs some revision, but not the massive changes proposed by the House.

“We’ve still got all the cards,” Dyer warned Friday, referring to a justformed citizen initiative campaign to ask voters in November to repeal the law. “There is no doubt in my mind voters would get rid of the law,” Dyer said.

Lobbyists for business agree the initiative is a powerful weapon, but still would like to avoid an expensive campaign with no guarantee of success.

Dyer accused Quigley of using the Thursday night meeting to “demonize” the business community, which strongly backs the House legislation, HB1046. “Frankly, we all came unglued when Sen. Quigley started talking about the business community as the enemy.”

Quigley agreed that the meeting included some hot words, but said he was surprised that Dyer was still angry Friday.

He said he “got a little hot and bothered” that business “seems to be moving the goal posts” over such issues as who among health careconsumers should be included in insurance risk pools. He said business wants to exclude too many people.