7,700 to be cut from Washington's Basic Health Plan

Washington will begin to reduce the number of people on its Basic Health Plan, a money-saving move critics say couldn't come at a worse time. The plan, subsidized by taxpayers, covers 105,000 low-income people. The state Health Care Authority plans to lower that number by 7,700 over seven months. The cuts are part of spending reductions ordered by Gov. Chris Gregoire to help balance the state budget.