Today in Olympia, WA, the House Health Care & Wellness committee will have a public hearing for SJM 8006: “Requesting that the federal government create a universal health care program.”
*If you oppose this bill, please sign in CON before 12:30PM today, February 14th
The bill requests the federal government to create a universal health care program, partner with the state to implement a single-payer health care system, or remove federal restrictions on the state's ability to create a universal health care system.
Some background: In 2021 the Legislature established the Universal Health Care Commission to prepare the state for the creation of a health care system that provides coverage and access through a universal financing system once the State acquired federal authority.
SJM 8006 is a carry-over from the WA 2023 legislative session. Since that time, in November of 2023 Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA) introduced HR 6270 which establishes the option for states, or groups of states, to waive certain federal health insurance requirements and provide residents with health insurance benefits plans through state-administered programs. Such state programs must cover 95 percent of the residents in the state within five years, and the state program's benefits must be at least as comprehensive and affordable as the coverage under the equivalent federal programs. Federal programs include Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program, certain federal tax credits, and premium assistance funds. The state programs are supported with funds from the replaced federal programs.
This bill would request the federal government to create a universal health care system to cover all citizens (and we can assume non-citizens as well) or to pass a bill such as HR 6270.
“Government-run systems reveal access and quality problems that Washingtonians would find unacceptable. Other states have abandoned their universal, taxpayer-funded plans because of staggering costs.” Elizabeth Hovde, Washington Policy Center
*Sign in CON to oppose this bill by 12:30PM, today, February 14th
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