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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.
Learn more about our current work or read our 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, which ended in early 2021. The work group began in 2019, under the Washington State Legislature’s direction to HCA. It provided recommendations to the Legislature on how to create, implement, maintain, and fund a universal health care system. Read the work group’s final report.
Reports
- 2025 annual report to the Legislature
- 2024 annual report to the Legislature
- Washington Health Trust (SB 5335) analysis report (June 2024)
- 2023 annual report to the Legislature
- Baseline report (November 2022)
- Universal Health Care Work Group final report (January 2021)
News and announcements
2026
| Date | Title |
|---|---|
| July 31, 2026 | Next Thursday: Universal Commission’s FTAC meeting |
| June 15, 2026 | Attend the Universal Health Care Commission meeting on Thursday |
| May 12, 2026 | The Universal Commission's FTAC meets Thursday |
| April 24, 2026 | Universal Health Care Commission meets next Thursday |
| March 13, 2026 | The Universal Commission's FTAC meets Thursday |
| February 5, 2026 | Universal Health Care Commission meets next Thursday |
| January 8, 2026 | The Commission's FTAC meets next Thursday |
- 2025
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Date Title December 5, 2025 Universal Health Care Commission meets December 11 October 31, 2025 The Commission's FTAC meets next Thursday October 3, 2025 Universal Health Care Commission meets October 9 October 1, 2025 We're looking for a new FTAC member September 16, 2025 The Commission's FTAC meets this Thursday September 5, 2025 Universal Health Care Commission meets next Thursday July 29, 2025 Meet Washington's universal health care advocates July 11, 2025 The Commission's FTAC meets July 17 June 9, 2025 Join the Commission meeting on Wednesday 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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