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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Last week was the first deadline for the Legislature’s 105-day session, what’s known as “policy cutoff.” You can read more about what that means here.
As a dentist in my other job, I see firsthand how families and patients are affected by policies made by state and federal government. One problem I saw that came out of the passage of the Affordable Care Act was that stand-alone dental insurance was not offered to those buying health insurance in the state’s Health Exchange. The result has been extremely high deductibles for preventative services like a basic cleaning. Unfortunately, families didn’t find out about this until after their cleaning when they received the final bill from their insurance company.
I sponsored House Bill 1852 to allow preventative services to be covered for those in the Exchange. In addition, this bill would create a fairer marketplace and lower insurance costs as a result. I’m pleased the proposal received a hearing and was passed out of the House Health Care and Wellness Committee with bipartisan support. Next, the bill must be scheduled for a vote by the full House of Representatives in order to move forward.
Learn more about my bill in this video I recorded with Dr. Lisa Block, a dentist from Gig Harbor:
I always enjoy having constituents visit my office in Olympia to share their thoughts. If you can make it down, contact my office! Otherwise, I always welcome your input by email and phone as well.
It’s an honor to serve as your 26th District state representative.
Sincerely,
Michelle Valdez
