Plain language is our state’s effort to use clear, direct language in how we communicate with the public. When a document uses plain language, a person can read, understand, and use the information that we’ve provided them.
Plain language makes it easier for those we serve — particularly vulnerable people and underserved/underrepresented populations — to access the care and services they are entitled to.
Plain language at HCA
For us at HCA, plain language is important because health care is confusing. When people don’t understand the information we give them, they could make choices that will affect their ability to access health care. Lack of plain language can also make navigating the health care system much more stressful than it already is.
If you find an HCA document or other HCA content that is difficult to understand, please contact us.
Plain language also advances health equity. To HCA, health equity means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. Here are some examples.
Plain language improves the lives of people with visual disabilities.
People who experience blindness or are visually impaired often access our website, forms, and publications using a screen reader. A screen reader is specialized software that reads all the words that appear on a user’s screen.
When we — HCA and other government agencies — use complex sentences with a lot of jargon and acronyms, it can be very difficult to understand (even for a person who doesn’t use a screen reader). A user may need to replay/re-read the sentence several times to understand. And if the screen reader software doesn’t know how to pronounce a term, it can be even more confusing.
By using plain language, we help readers who use assistive technology like screen readers find and understand the information they need to make vital decisions about their health care.
Plain language improves the lives of people who speak a language other than English.
There are more than 725,000 people in Washington State who speak a language other than English as their primary language. Certain terms and concepts, especially those around health insurance, are difficult to translate, and usually require a long description. Using plain language in our documents makes information easier and more straightforward to translate, which makes it easier for people to access and make decisions about their health care.
Plain language improves the lives of people with behavioral health challenges.
The most common behavioral health disorders, anxiety (affecting almost one in five adults) and depression (affecting almost one in 10 adults), and others like substance use disorder can complicate anyone’s ability to successfully navigate the behavioral health system. By making it easier to read and understand written material, plain language helps people experiencing behavioral health challenges get access to the care they need.
Some history
In 2005, under Executive Order (EO) 05–03, then-Governor Christine Gregoire directed all state agencies to adopt the principles and practices of plain language, also called "Plain Talk." At that time, the departments of Revenue, Labor and Industries, and Ecology were modeling Plain Talk in some of their programs.
The results were immediate and dramatic, saving the state millions of dollars in expenses and lost revenue. Rewriting a single letter at Department of Revenue saved $5 million in just two years. When Governor Jay Inslee took office in 2013, he continued EO 05–03. In November 2023, Governor Inslee strengthened the initiative by signing Executive Order (EO) 23-02.
Health equity work at HCA
We’re making intentional efforts to address health equity and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in all our practices. For example, we’re applying a health equity lens to HCA’s books of business. This includes (but is not limited to):
- Health insurance programs: Apple Health (Medicaid) and School and Public Employees Benefits Boards (SEBB and PEBB)
- Prevention, treatment, and recovery behavioral health programs
- Medicaid Transformation Project (MTP) waiver renewal
- Efforts to lower health care costs for consumers and increase transparency
- Eliminating Hepatitis C
- HCA policies, such as plain language
- And more