The Pathway to the Universal Health Care Work Group is Official.
Meeting #7 is Wednesday October 7, 1-4 pm. Click to register. Register by October 5 for public comment.
Check out the Agenda here.
Details, including how you can submit public comments, the Meeting Agenda, and background materials will be available here.
Public comments are very important, and the Work Group wants to hear from you, especially if you live in a rural area of Washington or have experienced health care access issues due to high insurance premiums or out-of-pocket costs. The Work Group will take comments on a first-come, first-served basis, and will hear as many as time allows. There will also be an option to provide public comment through an online survey or by contacting the facilitators. If you can’t view the meeting in real time, a video will be posted on the Universal Health Care Work Group page.
To learn more about the Work Group and its responsibilities: review the charter.
Health Care for All-Washington played a critical role in strengthening the desired goals of the Work Group. We are excited by the progress made to date, but there is much more to be done. Please help us keep the momentum going by supporting our work.
We can’t make universal health care happen for Washington without your support!
On May 21, Governor Inslee nudged Washington state onto a pathway to universal healthcare. He authorized $500,000 for the Health Care Authority to convene a work group on establishing a universal health care system in Washington state in the state budget HB 1109.
Thanks to several HCFA-WA amendments included in the budget line item, the work group consists of a broad range of stakeholders with expertise in the health care financing and delivery systems. It will include patients, labor, insurance, healthcare providers and facilities, patient advocates, and many more interest groups.
First Step to Universal Health Care. Although the work group flew in under the radar, the consequences are significant. Among other directives, the work group must study and make recommendations to the legislature on how to create, implement, maintain, and fund a universal health care system. We will be working to establish the very foundation of a single-payer healthcare system for Washingtonians.
Members
Past Meetings
Meeting 6: September 7 > Meeting Materials
Read our Report on the September meeting.
Meeting 5: August 25 > Meeting Materials
Read our Report on the August meeting.
Meeting 4: June 24 > Meeting materials
Read our Report on the June meeting.
Meeting 3: February 7 > Meeting materials.
Read our Report on the February meeting.
Meeting 2: December 9 > Meeting materials.
Read our Report on the December meeting.
Meeting 1: September 20 > Meeting materials.
Read our takeaways.
Watch the meeting. The Health Coverage presentation is at 1:06:16 and the WSIPP Report begins at 2:21:00.
Future Meetings
The Health Care Authority has revised the original schedule of meetings. There are now two fewer meetings scheduled.
* shows changes to original schedule
All scheduled meetings are from 1-4 pm.
Meeting #7: Wednesday, October 7, 2020, 1-4 pm via Zoom
Meeting #8: Thursday, October 29, 2020, 1-4 pm via Zoom
Meeting #9: Wednesday, December 9, 2020, 1-4 pm via Zoom
Blog Posts on the Work Group
