I write to urge you to pass HB 1608 in its strongest possible form. This bill is essential to protect the privacy of the patient-provider relationship and ensure that patients receive needed medical care. It is also a critical step towards achieving equity in accessing health care services in Washington state.
Doctors and nurses must be allowed to provide care that is in their patients’ best interests. However, under current Washington law, health care entities are allowed to interfere with the patient-provider relationship by restricting the information, resources, and services a health care provider may offer to a patient. Such restrictions, which are often unknown to the consumer, create barriers to informed decision-making and health care access – this is unjust and dangerous. For patients living in rural areas, patients with limited finances, and patients who lack mobility, health care entities’ restrictions can result in insurmountable and life-threatening barriers. These restrictions serve no medical purposes and disproportionally harm women, the LGBT community, communities of color, and patients who need end-of-life care.
Doctors and nurses who are willing to provide information, resources, and services should not be prevented from delivering the care their patients need. Patients should be able to make health care decisions with their provider free of health care entities’ restrictions. And health care providers shouldn’t fear retaliation from their employers when they provide the information and care that their patients need.
Our Legislature must ensure that the strongest protections be put in place to protect the patient-provider relationship. Substitute HB 1608 is insufficient – it would not adequately ensure patient access to care. Information and resources are important but will not help patients if health entities refuse to allow doctors and nurses to provide services.
Trust between patients and their health care providers is vital to preserving and promoting individuals’ well-being. I urge your support of the original HB 1608 which would: prohibit health care entities from interfering with the medically accurate and comprehensive information and resources doctors and nurses provide to their patients; in limited but vital situations allow providers to provide standard of care services to patients without health care entity interference; and provide enforcement mechanisms to protect workers and ensure health entities comply with this law. HB 1608 is essential to ensure access to care.
