Universal Health Care Commission
Washington State seeks to establish a universal system of health care for all residents. Senate Bill 5399 passed during the 2021 legislative session creating a Universal Health Care Commission to aid in this effort. Learn more about the purpose and activities of the commission.
On this page
Learn more about the Universal Health Care Commission!
What’s the role of the commission?
The purpose of the commission is to:
- Make the health care system more accessible by increasing access to quality, affordable health care.
- Prepare the state for the creation of a health care system that provides coverage and access for all Washington residents:
- Through a unified financing system.
- Once the federal government approves this new health care system.
Read the commission's charter.
Will the commission work with other entities?
Yes. The commission will collect and use data from the Health Care Cost Transparency Board.
The commission will also consider and apply, when appropriate, the work of the Universal Health Care Work Group, whose work ended in early 2021. In 2019, the Washington State Legislature directed HCA to convene a work group study (i.e., the work group). The purpose of the study was to provide recommendations to the Legislature on how to create, implement, maintain, and fund a universal health care system.
Reports
- 2024 annual report to the Legislature
- Washington Health Trust (SB 5335) analysis report (June 2024)
- 2023 annual report to the Legislature
Baseline report
- Read the full report (November 2022)
- Read the report by section:
- Glossary of abbreviations and acronyms
- Executive summary
- Section 1: synthesis of past analyses
- Section 2: strategies to move toward a universal health care system
- Section 3: core components of a universal system
- Section 4: readiness
- Section 5: Medicaid rates
- Section 6: transitional solutions
- Section 7: finance
- Conclusion
- Appendix A: Universal Health Care Commission members
- Appendix B: charter and operating procedures (draft)
- Appendix C: Universal Health Care Work Group report to the Legislature (January 2021)
- Appendix D: survey
News and announcements
2025
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| May 7, 2025 | The Commission's FTAC meets May 15 |
| April 9, 2025 | Universal Health Care Commission meets April 17 |
| March 7, 2025 | The Commission's FTAC meets Thursday |
| February 6, 2025 | Universal Health Care Commission meets next Thursday |
| January 11, 2025 | Join the Commission's FTAC meeting next week |
- 2024
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- 2023
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Date Title December 11, 2023 Universal Health Care Commission meets this week November 6, 2023 Attend the Universal Health Care Commission's Finance Technical Advisory Committee (FTAC) meeting October 6, 2023 Attend the Universal Health Care Commission's October meeting August 4, 2023 August Universal Health Care Commission meeting coming up June 7, 2023 Attend the June Universal Health Care Commission meeting May 5, 2023 Attend the May Finance Technical Advisory Committee (FTAC) meeting April 5, 2023 April Universal Health Care Commission meeting coming up March 3, 2023 Finance Technical Advisory Committee (FTAC) to the Universal Health Care Commission to meet next week - 2022
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