How Universal Health Care Can Help Balance the State Budget - Feb. 2025 2WSS 

By Ron Lovell, HCFA-WA Board member

At February’s 2WSS, we took a deep dive into our three top legislative priorities for 2025, answered your questions on how our goals and strategies can impact the current state budget hole, and gave an update on our Federal priorities. Plus, we continue to focus on supporting the Universal Health Care Commission (UHCC) as it defines the infrastructure needed to provide publicly funded and privately delivered health care to all Washington residents.

Roger Gantz, HCFAWA Policy member who serves on the Finance Technical Advisory Committee to the UHCC, noted that HCFA-WA was instrumental in passing SB5399, which established the UHCC and continues to support its work.

Lonnie Johns-Brown, HCFA-WA lobbyist who has been advocating for healthcare for 41 years in Washington, outlined the serious nature of the current budget shortage.

Washington is facing a budget shortfall of $12 to $15 billion over the next four years. To address this challenge, HCFA-WA:

1. Requested additional funding to support the operations of the Universal Health Care Commission and ensure its continuity amidst budget challenges.
2. Proposed an automated enrollment system for individuals moving from Medicaid to the Washington Health Benefit Exchange (WHBE). This initiative is aimed at improving healthcare coverage and overall healthcare access. WHBE is working to begin implementation of Washington’s auto-enrollment system without using state general funds.
3.  Proposed legislation to consolidate public employee benefit boards (PEBB-SEBB) for greater efficiency (SB-5086)

We also support these bills to lower costs and increase access to care across the state:

1. SB 5387 Controls the corporate practice of medicine in order to  ensure access to care and maintain the doctor-patient decision-making for care delivery.  
2. SB 5083 Reference-based pricing to control healthcare costs. 

Consuelo Echeverria, health care reform activist and member of the HCHR Steering Committee, Whole Washington, PNHP WA, and One Payer States, updated us on 3 important Federal bills that would help states implement their own state-based universal health care plans

1. The State Based Universal Health Care Act, soon to be reintroduced with 30 cosponsors. This legislation would provide waivers allowing access to federal funds that support state-based universal health care plans.
2. The Save Medicare Act (HR 732) aims to protect and preserve the traditional Medicare program by addressing deceptive practices associated with Medicare Advantage plans. It would eliminate confusion, prevent seniors from being misled into enrolling in private plans that may not provide the same benefits as traditional Medicare, and ensure that Medicare remains a reliable and primary health plan for older Americans.
3. The Health over Wealth Act (S 4804) aims to prioritize patient care over corporate profits by increasing oversight and accountability in the healthcare sector and  enhancing transparency and accountability for private equity firms and for-profit companies that own healthcare entities.

For complete details, we invite you to watch the 2WSS video

Rural Health Takes Center Stage - Highlights of the UHCC Meeting - Feb. 13th, 2025

By Marcia Stedman, HCFA-WA Board member

Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer pledges strong support for the Universal Health Care Commission and its work:

“Healthcare is a human right and getting to Universal coverage is paramount. We at the OIC and myself personally are ready to help in any way that we can, and I hope that you'll see us as a resource, partnering with you on this very important work.”

Healthcare reform advocates again speak to the urgent need to address Governance now and accurately track all Milestones.  

Commission votes to support the reference-based pricing bills (HB 1123 and SB 5083) currently being considered by the Legislature: 8 “yea,” 1 abstention, support to include testifying “pro” at Committee hearings and sending a letter of support from the UHCC.  

Oregon’s positive experience with reference based pricing: starts at 1hr 8min mark of the Meeting Recording   

• Applies to hospital inpatient and outpatient services.
• Rural and children’s hospitals are exempt.
• Cost growth held to 3.4%.
• No impact on access to care
• Savings achieved:
  • 2020 - $59 Million
  • 2021 - $112 Million

Spotlight on Rural Health in Washington - begins at 2 h 2 min mark of the Meeting Recording 

Saving the best for last, the Commission heard a fascinating discussion of the rural perspective on health care.  The panel included Brad Becker of Mason Health and The Rural Collaborative, Shane McGuire of the Columbia County Health System, and Ashlen Strong of the Washington State Hospital Association.

The Lay of the Land:  

• Three-fourths of Washington’s geographic area is considered “rural,” yet only 21% of the state’s population lives in a rural area, resulting in long travel times to receive care
• Rural hospitals are often the largest employer in their community
• Most rural hospitals are public and therefore tax-supported
• There is an acute shortage of hospital beds, with WA ranking 50th in the nation in number of beds per capita

Read on for details.

Next Up:  The Finance Technical Advisory Committee (FTAC) meets Thursday, March 13th, from 2-4:30 pm Join on Zoom 

The next meeting of the UHCC is Thursday, April 17th from 2–5 p.m.

We encourage you to:

• Sign up to provide public comment by 5 p.m. the day before the meeting occurs.
• Push for a single payer plan in your public comments.
• Read our take on past UHCC and FTAC meetings

Subscribe to Health Care Authority (HCA) for updates.