Washington’s Universal Health Care Commission Finance Technical Advisory Committee (FTAC) devoted its September 24 meeting to launching the financing work needed for a universal health plan. FTAC outlined a four-stage process: establish principles and assess nonfederal revenue sources; document current health-system costs and revenues; estimate the universal plan’s cost; and assemble revenue-package options. Draft criteria for judging financing mechanisms include stability, adequacy, equity, legal viability, and simplicity.
FTAC Members reviewed possible payroll, income, gross-receipts, sales, and other taxes, but endorsed no particular tax or package. They stressed examining who ultimately bears each tax, how proposals compare with today’s premiums and out-of-pocket costs, and whether low-income residents could pay more than under Medicaid. Analysis must also address federal funding, waivers, ERISA, transition costs, reserves, and cost containment. FTAC aims to complete its initial financing design around the second quarter of 2027, with Commission work continuing through late 2027.
The group agreed to convene a smaller Finance Work Group consisting of Matthew Morrissey (Dept. of Revenue), Roger Gantz (experience in health care financing), Sarah Huling (expertise in health care financing), and Eddy Rauser (Office of Financial Management), to meet monthly starting in early October 2026.
For HCFA-WA, this is a critical advocacy window. We should press for progressive, unified public financing; minimal cost-sharing; transparent distributional analysis; and a funded, auditable actuarial study. Universal primary care should remain a bridge—not a substitute—for comprehensive universal coverage. Advocates should engage FTAC’s new financing workgroup early, before assumptions and evaluation criteria become fixed.
Next Meetings:
UHCC: Thursday, October 15th 2–5 p.m., Join on Teams
Comment to the UHCC
- Speak during the designated public comment time at UHCC meetings. Sign up to provide public comment by 5 p.m. the day before the meeting occurs.
- Email [email protected] at any time. If you submit your comments less than two weeks before a meeting, they will be included in the following meeting’s materials.
We urge our members to push to use OIC proviso funds for economic analysis focused on the entire single-payer universal healthcare system, rather than universal primary care, in their public comments.
FTAC: Thursday, November 12th 2-4:30 p.m., Join on Teams
Comment to the FTAC
- Speak during the designated public comment time at FTAC meetings. Sign up to provide public comment by 5 p.m. the day before the meeting occurs.
- Submit written comments at any time. If you submit your comments less than two weeks before a meeting, we’ll include them in the following meeting’s materials.
We urge our members to push to use OIC proviso funds for economic analysis focused on the entire single-payer universal healthcare system, rather than universal primary care, in their public comments.
Now Available, the Universal Health Care Commission 2025 Annual Report
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Currently, there are two open seats on the Commission, subject to appointment by the Governor. Candidates should have knowledge and experience regarding health care coverage, access, and financing, or other relevant expertise. Apply to Serve here