Legislative Strategy Lori Grassi A CONSTANT WSCA Executive Director and Lobbyist


The interim is also the time where you can have a large impact. Your ability to meet with legislators in your district is now, before the session begins in January.


Although the legislative session has ended, the work of the WSCA legislative team never stops. It is when legislators are not in session that we have time for more substantive communication about our issues, which are largely technical. Not all legislators, even the members of the health care committee, understand CPT codes, DRG codes, HCFA 1500 forms and medical necessity details. Each caucus, in each chamber, selects members of their party who are either educated in healthcare or have a deep interest in the topic before they are assigned a committee; but sometimes there are legislators who have no background in the field at all. As you can imagine, the number of professional issues that they have to become educated about is enormous. In addition, some of our greatest allies for the profession are not on the healthcare committee and have little opportunity to assist unless we are successful moving our proposed legislation out of the assigned policy committee. Once that occurs, the financial affect to the state is considered. The process is the same as with the policy, but with different players focusing solely on the cost of the proposal. This is why when members call to share with me a supportive legislator you may hear me tell you that they can’t help us until we pass committee. Unless a legislator is in leadership there is little they can do to support our cause until we pass successfully from the policy committee.


The interim is also the time where you can have a large impact. You have the ability to meet with legislators in your district now, before the session begins in January. I know I tell you this all the time, though few take action. Call your legislators now and discuss the agenda below. You don’t have to know all the details, you only need to know the highlights and refer them back to me. I will do the follow up necessary, whether email or a call, and provide them the details needed to support our cause. If you would like me to participate in the meetings I am happy to do so with the appropriate notice.


Here is how the 2018 session appears to be shaping up, though I would stress that as of the time this article is being written, the board’s legislative meeting has not yet taken place. These items are not listed in priority order and each item needs DCs in the field to take action in order to pass!


10 www .chirohealth.org


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