press release
Representative Eileen Cody received the American Medical Association’s Dr. Nathan Davis Award for Public Service by a State Legislator last night in Washington, D.C.

The Davis Award is the AMA’s highest honor for government service in health care. It is named after the AMA’s founder and recognizes the work of elected and career officials in federal, state and municipal service whose contributions have promoted medicine and the betterment of public health.

“Rep. Cody has led efforts toward improving health care access for low income individuals and transforming mental health services in Washington state,” said AMA Board Chair Steven J. Stack, M.D. “Her dedication to public health has also earned the state national recognition for its long term health care services and support system.”

Rep. Cody was nominated by former Governor Gregoire for the award. Rep. Cody has been twice previously recognized by the Washington State Medical Association as Legislator of the Year. The WSMA noted Rep. Cody’s previous efforts to advance public health in our state.

When she’s not being honored by national organizations, Rep. Cody works as a nurse at Group Health Cooperative in Seattle and serves as chair of the Health Care and Wellness Committee.

In the legislature, Rep. Cody has worked for improved patient safety, mental health parity, public health services and to restore the universal purchase of vaccines.

More recently, she has led efforts to implement the federal Affordable Care Act at the state level. Largely because of her work, Washington is one of just six states ready to implement the health benefits exchange on-time in 2014.