WA Exchange Releases Health Equity Advisory Committee

Nelly Kinsella, MHA, MPH with the Washington Health Benefit Exchange released new information in regards to the Health Equity Technical Advisory Committee (HqTAC). Based on direction from SB 5445 passed during the 2011 legislative session, the Exchange Board may establish technical advisory committees (TACs) to advise the Board Policy and Operations Committees as well as the Advisory Committee on technical issues. Members of the TACs provide experience and professional perspectives related to the specific areas of expertise.

On Feb. 21, 2013, the Exchange Board approved and appointed members to a new HqTAC. Members of the HqTAC will provide experience and/or professional perspectives related to health equity with a focus on language access; health literacy; hard-to-reach populations; cultural sensitivity; and other general access to coverage issues.

The members appointed by the Board include:

— Amy Alexander, Northwest Justice Project
— Jesús Bervis, Neighborcare Health
— Tara Dowd, Spokane County United Way
— Sylvia Gil, Community Health Plan of Washington
— Yoon Joo Han, Asian Counseling and Referral Service
— Claire Lane, WithinReach
— Linda McCarthy, Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood
— Leo Morales, Group Health Research Institute
— Acasia Olson, CDC Fellow, Washington Dental Service Foundation
— Christina Peters, Children’s Alliance
— Becky Pfiefer, Premera Blue Cross
— Marguerite Ro, Public Health-Seattle King County
— Ex-Officio: Vazaskia Caldwell, Health Care Authority

The group will hold its first meeting during the second week of March. As more information is available about scheduled meetings with this committee it will be posted on the Exchange website at http://wahbexchange.org/committees/health-equity-technical-advisory-committee.