OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 4:58 PM PT – Tuesday, December 13, 2022
The Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Treasury Department have given their permission to expand the Washington State’s health insurance to non-citizens.
The Department approved of the State’s request via a State Innovation Waiver. The request was made by the Washington government in May and was issued under Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act.
The request explained that if a state wanted to pursue ” innovative strategies ” for offering affordable health care while preserving the protections provided by the ACA, it can submit a 1332 request.
“Washington has requested a waiver in order to expand access to qualified health plans, stand-alone qualified dental plans, and a state affordability program to Washington residents regardless of immigration status,” the HHS and Treasury Department said. “The waiver will help Washington work towards its goals of improving health equity and reducing racial disparities by expanding access to coverage for the uninsured population through the state Exchange, all the while not increasing costs for those currently enrolled.”
The State itself must agree to a set of terms and conditions before the waiver can be approved. Once met, the waiver will be in place from the start of 2024 until the end of 2028.
To add, Washington State’s fiscal 2023 funding allocation for a state subsidy program called Cascade Care Savings was mentioned by the White House in its approval.