Creating an apple health employer assessment.
This bill creates a new assessment on employers with 100 or more employees that have at least one worker enrolled in Apple Health (Washington's Medicaid program) for 80+ hours per month. The assessment amount is calculated by multiplying the total "member months" (each month an employee works and is enrolled in Apple Health) by a set Medicaid expansion rate. Employers must pay the assessment quarterly to the Employment Security Department, with funds deposited into the state health care affordability account. This account can only be used for premium and cost-sharing assistance for low-income individuals, as specified by law.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 15, 2026
Last action Feb 19, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
3
Key actions
2
Committee
2
Feb 19, 2026
Upper · Passed
Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 4:00 PM.
upper
Jan 20, 2026
Upper · Passed
Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 4:00 PM.
upper
1 primary · 18 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Emily Alvarado
DDemocratic
Co
Annette Cleveland
DDemocratic
Co
Bob Hasegawa
DDemocratic
Co
Claire Wilson
DDemocratic
Co
Derek Stanford
DDemocratic
Co
Jamie Pedersen
DDemocratic
Co
Javier Valdez
DDemocratic
Co
Jess Bateman
DDemocratic
Co
June Robinson
DDemocratic
Co
Liz Lovelett
DDemocratic
Co
Manka Dhingra
DDemocratic
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