HCA and OFM offer prescription drug purchasing ideas for the state
Last week we released a report on prescription drug spending and Medicaid, and their impacts on the state budget. Coincidentally, the Health Care Authority (HCA) and Office of Financial Management (OFM) released a report to the Legislature the same day, called, “Review of Prescription Drug Costs and Summary of Potential Purchasing Strategies.” Legislators had asked […]
November 17 , 2016 - Emily Makings
The new budget outlook includes an estimate of final McCleary costs, despite a lack of agreement on what that number will be
Yesterday the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council (ERFC) adopted a new budget outlook that includes the end of the 2015–17 biennium, 2017–19, and 2019–21. It is controversial in that it includes an estimate for how much it will cost to complete compliance with the McCleary decision on school funding. There was some good news in […]
November 16 , 2016 - Mary Strow
New-ish filing in McCleary case
In all the pre- and post-election news, we missed a recent filing with the state Supreme Court on the McCleary education funding case. The organization Washington's Paramount Duty, which has been quite vocal in calling for "new revenue" for K-12 education but not specific about where it should come from, on Nov. 7 asked the court to […]
November 15 , 2016 - Mary Strow
New Special Report: How Medicaid and Prescription Drug Spending Impact the State Budget
Today we're out with a new Special Report on Medicaid, prescription drug spending and the state budget. You can read it here. Here are some highlights: Medicaid, through the state Health Care Authority (HCA), now provides health insurance for almost two million Washington state residents, and makes up over 16 percent of the state budget. […]
August 23 , 2016 - Emily Makings
New in the McCleary case: The AG answers the Supreme Court's questions
The attorney general’s office has responded to the state Supreme Court’s July 14 order in the McCleary case. No big surprises here — the brief argues the contempt order should be dissolved and the sanctions ended. The AG said as much in previous communications with the Court this year. But the AG’s new brief does have […]
July 01 , 2016 - Emily Makings
Happy fiscal new year!
Today is the first day of state fiscal year 2017, which is the second year of the 2015-17 biennium. Norton Francis at the Tax Policy Center (a joint venture of the Urban Institute and Brookings Institution) writes, "The fiscal year wraps up today in most states and, unlike some past years, most have enacted budgets on time." Indeed, in […]
June 21 , 2016 - Emily Makings
How will the revenue forecast affect the budget?
Kriss wrote a few days ago that the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council (ERFC) increased the state revenue forecast last week. In near general fund–state plus opportunity pathways (NGFS+) terms, 2015–17 revenue is expected to increase by $308.2 million and 2017–19 revenue is expected to increase by $126.4 million. As Opportunity Washington writes, “While the […]
June 17 , 2016 - Mary Strow
June 16 , 2016 - Emily Makings
How to fund Seattle's Office of Labor Standards?
For the last several months a discussion has been ongoing in Seattle about how to increase funding for the Office of Labor Standards (OLS). The OLS was established in 2015 to enforce standards related to city ordinances like the minimum wage and paid sick leave. An April 1 staff memo to the Seattle City Council’s […]
June 15 , 2016 - Emily Makings
New report: McCleary Deadline Approaching, But How Long Will the Solution Last?
In a new report, we write about the McCleary decision, education funding enhancements the state has made in response, and what remains to be done. We also provide background on the state property tax system and school funding. Briefly: State funding for public schools has increased by 40.6 percent since 2009–11. Washington had the third highest funding […]