Lobbyists Running The Olympia Show

Who represents the general public when legislators let lobbyists draft the laws?

The current session of Washington’s Legislature has been a lobbyist’s heaven. Decision-making hinges on a contingent of political novices, unfamiliar with the state’s laws, its budget, its hidden power struggles and the legislative process. Furthermore, the new legislators sympathize ideologically with the business interests that many of the slickest lobbyists represent.

This may not have been the best environment, from a consumer’s point of view, for rewriting Washington’s health care reform act of 1993.

Picture this scene: Behind closed doors, legislators negotiate details of our health care system with lobbyists representing insurance companies, big corporations, hospitals and physicians. A few days after agreement is reached, the legislation is passed.

In their general outlines, the latest reforms do have some appeal - enough appeal to win support from Gov. Mike Lowry, a consumer advocate who fought for the 1993 health care reforms that this year’s reforms will replace.

The 1995 reforms are weighted to the interests of insurers and employers. They reduce government oversight and favor privatesector options.

Part way through the drafting process for one of this year’s reform bills, Republican leaders made a revealing mistake. So closely had they listened to insurance lobbyists that they nearly outlawed major efforts, in their own communities, to save consumers money through cooperation among hospitals and physicians. Only a last-minute blitz by health care providers, including many in Spokane, brought this misguided proviso into the light and convinced legislators to allow the innovative cooperation to continue.

What about the rest of the reforms? Consumers will have to wait and see.

Sen. John Moyer, R-Spokane, who supported both the 1993 reforms and this year’s version, says he thinks the new system has merit, could lead to lower insurance rates and may increase access to insurance for small-business employees. But Moyer says he also worries that the push for cheap care will threaten the quality of medical care.

Did insurance lobbyists design this complex scheme in ways their industry will exploit - to the public’s detriment? Moyer, a physician, insists legislators tried to shape a law the public will like.

But he recommends we all watch how insurers use their new powers.

In addition, as legislators continue to huddle with their lobbyist pals, they should know the general public watches those closed doors with suspicion.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = John Webster/For the editorial board