Momentum is Building in Washington!
by HCFA-WA Board Member Marcia Stedman
The July 17th Finance Technical Advisory Committee (FTAC) meeting marked the beginning of Washington’s 2025 fiscal year, the end of Health Management Associates’ consultant contract, and stronger participation by all Committee members. Health Care Authority staff members Ross Valore (Boards and Commissions Director) and Mary Franzen (Coverage Strategies Manager) proved they are well-qualified to facilitate the meetings going forward, providing an excellent summary of the June UHCC meeting and its Public Comments. Dare we hope that a sea change is in progress?
You can view the Meeting Recording here!
Recommendations Clearly Documented
- Eligibility: Medicaid beneficiaries, CHIP participants, individual market enrollees, state and local government employees, and uninsured populations are to be included, with optional participation pathways for persons covered by employer-sponsored plans. Tribes are exempt but have an option to enroll.
- Benefits: Based on Washington’s Uniform Medical Plan (UMP) which has an 87-90% actuarial value with emphasis on simplicity, predictability, low barriers for lower-income populations, careful consideration of cost-sharing principles and federal waiver requirements necessary for implementation. Services not in UMP to be available as supplemental coverage.
- Datasets: check the body of work that the UHCC and FTAC have already done
Decision Process Clarified
- Specialized work groups will refine these recommendations before the presentation at the September Universal Commission meeting.
- New actuarial modelling will guide data-driven policy development and be supported by a $250,000 appropriation from the Office of the Insurance Commissioner
- Previously proposed transitional solutions, including administrative simplification measures and existing program leverage strategies, will be comprehensively reviewed.
Priorities
- Interstate collaboration and regional coordination, with plans to invite Oregon experts in September to discuss multi-state insurance plan compacts under "1333 waiver" provisions.
- Strengthening stakeholder engagement and continued integration of public comment perspectives into policy development processes.
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Supporting the upcoming Advocates Roundtable on August 5, 2025
- Date: Tuesday, August 5, 2025
- Time: 3:00–5:00 PM
- Format/Location: This is an open public meeting taking place in Olympia, Washington, with an option to attend remotely via Zoom.
Link for the Advocacy Roundtable Meeting Materials
Link to join the Advocates Roundtable meeting on August 5.
Next UHCC meeting: Thurs., Sept. 11 - 2-5 pm
Next FTAC meeting: Thurs., Sept.18 - 2-4:30 pm
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.