Models for Change Fact Sheet Series: An Overview of Washington's Publicly Funded Health Insurance Programs
This summary is intended to assist professionals who work in systems serving children, such as juvenile justice and child welfare. For more information about Medicaid and its key concepts as they relate to the juvenile justice system, see A Medicaid Primer for Juvenile Justice Officials.
As of November 2007, 998,584 adults and children were covered under Washington’s Medicaid program and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Washington operates its SCHIP program separately from Medicaid. The state also uses state-only funding to provide a low-cost health insurance option to adult residents. In federal fiscal year 2005, approximately $5.7 billion was spent for Medicaid services in Washington, and an additional $51 million was spent for SCHIP services. (These figures include spending for both adults and children.) The federal government supplied 51 percent of the funding for Medicaid and 65 percent of the funding for SCHIP.
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For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 
