Senate passes Keep Our Care Act

OLYMPIA – The Keep Our Care Act to ensure hospital mergers don’t limit access to critical health care  passed the Senate 28-21 on Thursday.   Senate Bill 5241, sponsored by Sen. Emily Randall (D-Bremerton), would ensure hospital mergers and acquisitions don’t restrict patients’ access to critical health care, such as end-of-life, reproductive and gender-affirming care.   Research has shown hospital consolidations commonly result in price increases for patients of up to 20% or more.   Washington state has seen multiple consolidations that restrict access to these critical health ...

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