April Universal Health Care Commission Recap: Eyes on the goal, please!

By Elaine Cox, MPP, BSOT, HCFA-WA Board Member

“Don’t lose sight of our existing goals in these challenging times”- Senator Annette Cleveland, UHCC member and Chair of Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee

The April 30, 2026 UHCC meeting featured robust comments and discussion about the potential promises and pitfalls of instituting Universal Primary Care (UPC) in Washington, and the best use of the $250K proviso funds to do economic modeling related to the UHC work plan. The UPC proposal has strong support from several Commission members. HCFA-WA and others expressed concerns that focusing on UPC could divert critical resources and attention away from designing a true single-payer system.

A recording of the meeting on TVW can be found here.

Highlights:

Universal Primary Care (UPC) as a possible transitional step toward universal health care (UHC) was explored. The proposal was presented to the Commission in February, 2026 by the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. (OIC). Discussion will be ongoing in future meetings, in both the UHCC and Financial Technical Advisory Committees. 

How to use the $250K proviso funding for economic analysis, including whether/how to use it to study UPC. Creating a workgroup to inform the decision was proposed. The Financial Technical Advisory Committee (FTAC) will continue developing their proposal.

Provider Reimbursement Guiding Principles were finalized and adopted, as developed by the FTAC.

 HCFA WA engagement, along with advocacy partners, is having an impact!

Engaging with the UHCC is a top priority for HCFA WA. The Commission is crucial to achieving single payer universal health care in Washington state. 

How we engage:

• Members attend and present comments at each meeting. 
• One of our policy team members, Roger Gantz, is on the FTAC.
• We occasionally meet with individual Commissioners to exchange information, identify potential legislative opportunities, and further explain the rationale for our positions.

Examples of our impact:

• Changes proposed by HCFA WA were included in the finalized Provider Reimbursement Principles. 
• Commissioners referenced our long list of questions regarding the universal primary care model several times in today’s discussion.

For further public comments and summary of the meeting click/tap here 

May FTAC: Continued Work on Provider Reimbursement and Possible Universal Primary Care Model

by John Sobeck, MD, HCFA-WA Vice President

This month’s Finance Technical Advisory Committee (FTAC) meeting focused on advancing Washington State’s universal health care discussion by refining provider reimbursement strategies, financing priorities, and implementation planning for a future universal system. Members emphasized balancing immediate reforms with the long-term goal of a unified financing and delivery structure that preserves universality while maintaining provider and hospital sustainability. Public comments strongly supported comprehensive coverage that includes dental, vision, behavioral health, and integrated primary care, while urging the committee to avoid fragmented “piecemeal” reforms and instead pursue a phased roadmap toward universal coverage.

Provider reimbursement and rural health sustainability were central themes throughout the discussion. Members debated reference-based pricing, fee-for-service, capitation, global budgeting, and hybrid reimbursement models, while expressing concern that inadequate reimbursement protections could destabilize rural hospitals, federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), and community clinics. The committee reviewed lessons from states such as Maryland, Vermont, and Connecticut, emphasizing the need to balance cost control, provider stability, and the principle of universality without creating excessive carve-outs or fragmented financing structures.

The meeting also focused heavily on the data and analytic infrastructure needed to support universal system planning. Members noted that the All-Payer Claims Database (APCD) alone is insufficient for accurate forecasting and rate setting, and stressed the importance of integrating systems such as ProviderOne, Milliman modeling tools, eligibility databases, and quality measurement platforms. Significant discussion centered on how to use the Office of the Insurance Commissioner’s $250,000 proviso funding, with most members favoring investment in complex system-design analysis, behavioral incentive modeling, and evaluation of expanded primary care spending rather than premature tax or financing proposals.

The meeting concluded with agreement on an iterative and collaborative path forward. FTAC plans to finalize provider reimbursement recommendations for the Universal Health Care Commission (UHCC), while developing technical appendices addressing rural health, reimbursement safeguards, and data infrastructure needs. Proposed next steps include specialized rural reimbursement workgroups, phased implementation strategies for universal primary care, and continued refinement of financing and reimbursement proposals through public feedback and commission review, with an ongoing emphasis on sustainability, rural access, and protecting vulnerable populations.

View the Meeting Materials

Watch the Meeting Video 

Next Meetings:

UHCC : Thursday, June 18th, 2026, 2–5 p.m. - Details available here closer to the date.

FTAC: Thursday, July 16th, 2026, 2-4:30 p.m. - Details available here closer to the date

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.

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 for a single payer plan in their public comments.

• Read our take on past UHCC and FTAC meetings

• Subscribe to Health Care Authority (HCA) for updates

Now Available, the Universal Health Care Commission 2025 Annual Report

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN SERVING ON THE UHCC? 

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