Image: Health care workers cheer marching Black Lives Matter supporters.
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It’s an ongoing national tragedy that communities of color remain at increased risk for a wide range of adverse health outcomes related to social and economic determinants of health, and COVID-19 is no exception.”--Dr. Jeff Duchin, Health Officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County.

As of May 15 in King County, COVID-19 infection rate for Blacks was nearly 4 times that of Whites, and for Hispanics it was 9-fold that of Whites.  Hispanics had nearly 6 times the COVID deaths as Whites, after adjusting for age differences in the populations. These inequities are also apparent in COVID hospitalizations in King County: 

Washington’s April unemployment rate was near 15%. About 273,000 people across Washington lost their coverage in five weeks Across the United States, more than 43 million Americans lost their jobs, and 27 million of those lost their health insurance as well. Those who remain on their existing health plans often find themselves with reduced incomes and unable to access health care due to high co-payments and deductibles. Some who can’t afford health insurance simply go without. And, these burdens are falling disproportionately and inequitably on Black, Hispanic and Native Americans.

Health Care for all Washington had big hopes this year for the annual GiveBIG campaign. Created around Giving Tuesday, GiveBIG has become an important part of the sustainability of Washington’s nonprofit community. This year more than $19 million was collected through this giving platform. We are happy for all the fine organizations and causes, but we are especially thrilled that HCFA-WA “played above our weight” in relation to the 1,637 organizations participating.

Roger Douglas Fulton
August 18, 1954—April 25, 2020

Last month, HCFA-WA lost a dear and trusted friend. Roger Fulton. His official obituary follows the remembrances of several long-time HCFA-WA members. Please add your own remembrances of Roger as you wish. Feel free to share- as of this publication date, this is the first public announcement of his obituary.

Roger Fulton was a dedicated activist who donated his valuable time and expertise to many causes, including universal health care. For Health Care for All-WA, Roger was at times a board member, a tech master, a database manager, and an organizer of organizations. His contributions helped land HCFA-WA and the fight for universal health care where we are today: closer than ever.

Nearly 75,000 Americans are now dead from COVID-19. Coronavirus presents us a critical turning point: progress can be made in the two pillars for a vigorous public health system, and providing quality, affordable healthcare for everyone. You can do something to change the inadequacies of our health care system TODAY. For the urgency of now, GiveBIG to Health Care for All Washington.

Why should you GiveBIG to Health Care for All Washington?
More than 1 million Washingtonians are unemployed since the COVID-19 crisis began. Nearly half a million residents lost health insurance, adding to the half million already uninsured in our state, with nearly as many unable to afford their health insurance deductibles.

Health Care for All Washington’s greatest fear is not that COVID-19 will drastically change our society; our fear it is that it will not.

We work to ensure that we will not return to our old normal, and we need your help to make sure things will change, dramatically, for the better.

When you GiveBIG, May 5-15, you join us in making change.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King spoke of “the fierce urgency of now” 57 years ago at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Now, the fierce urgency brought by the coronavirus pandemic has gripped the entire world. Will the current crisis convince the United States to take action and implement a more equitable model of health care delivery? The public financing of COVID-19 testing and in some cases, treatment, offers a glimmer of hope.

COVID-19 has both created health care dilemmas unique to the pandemic, and also illuminated and exacerbated existing problems with healthcare access, affordability, and equity. Can the pandemic speed us on the path to universal health care? We believe there is a strong case to be made! With your help, HCFA-WA can add to the growing voices urgently calling for universal health care.

We were so excited to see Governor Inslee sign another law today based on a HCFA-WA proposal. ESSB 2662 relieves diabetics in our state from the skyrocketing cost of insulin.

This two-pronged law not only provides a cap on out-of-pocket costs for the next two years, but also sets in motion a longer term comprehensive approach to controlling costs with the formation of the Total Cost of Insulin Work Group.