Universal Health Care Commission briefs committee; memorial seeks federal waivers and state pathway to universal coverage

The House Health Care and Wellness Committee heard an update on the work of the Universal Health Care Commission and took public testimony on Senate Joint Memorial 8004 on March 21.

Health Care Authority staff Ross Valori, director of boards and commissions, and Mary Franzen, coverage strategies manager who staffs the commission, briefed the committee on the commission’s mandate and current workplan. Valori and Franzen described universal health care in the commission’s terms as a single, unified system giving all residents access to care, which can be organized under multiple models—including single-payer and multi‑payer approaches—and may use a mix of public and private financing.

The commission was created by the legislature in 2021 with two directives: pursue immediate, impactful changes that improve access and prepare the state for a unified health care financing system once federal authority is available. Franzen described the commission’s membership (a 15‑member…