A Win for Medically Complex Kids in Washington State
Unanimous passage of ACE Kids Act in the 2024 Washington state legislative session is a win for medically complex kids. ACE (Advancing Care for Exceptional) Kids will facilitate more effective management and coordination of care for the most vulnerable children in the state. Hugh Ewart worked with bill sponsor and former US Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler, other Members of Congress, and children’s hospitals across the United States to pass the federal ACE Kids Act in 2019. State Representative Travis Couture’s HB 1941 compels Washington State to participate in the ACE Kids program. Hugh teamed up with Representative Couture, other legislators, and children’s hospitals in Washington state to move the bill across the finish line.
HB 1941 allows Washington state to provide care to kids with multiple chronic conditions under a health home model, an approach to care that facilitates enhanced coordination of care across all providers, such as specialty children’s hospitals, local community hospitals, local primary care clinics and other settings. Studies indicate that the ACE Kids Act will lead to improved health outcomes, while reducing health care costs as more effectively managed care will lead to less hospital emergency department and inpatient care.
