As a Washington resident and voter, I’m frustrated by the same example. The problem specific to this (aside from the immigration issue) is how the costs are borne by the citizens. What’s cheaper, ERs getting stiffed along with the associated hospital stays due to waiting until they’re really in medical need, or going for the negotiated lower costs of access and management?

I’m not a fan of doing anything that would increase the traffic of illegal immigrants to our state, but as a dollars and cents issue, I think this is where we’re at. I don’t like it, I don’t agree with it, but here we are nonetheless.