Speakers urge Washington commission to press for universal health care as public comments stress urgency
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Summary
At the Feb. 12 Universal Health Care Commission meeting, more than a half-dozen public commentators told personal stories and urged the commission to push universal-health proposals to the legislature, citing medical debt, gaps in coverage and the need for an immediate financing roadmap.
Dozens of public commenters told the Universal Health Care Commission on Feb. 12 that the state must move urgently toward universal coverage, describing medical debt, disrupted care and administrative complexity in Washington's current system.
Sherry McEvoy, a volunteer with Health Care for All Washington and Whole Washington, told commissioners: "The fact that 60 percent of bankruptcies are related to medical debt and illness" and urged the panel to "get universal health care to Washington state." Veil Grubbs, a Medicaid recipient from Olympia who said she is chronically ill and disabled, described months of treatment costs and said she feared losing coverage if federal work requirements take effect.
Other speakers asked the commission to prioritize financing analysis and legislative outreach. Thomas Kennedy, a Whole Washington policy volunteer, cited recent enrollment metrics and affordability challenges, saying the group is "in a time of crisis" after exchanges lost enrollees and premiums rose. Steven Field of Federal Way proposed three pillars for enrollment reform — automatic enrollment, permanent status, and coverage regardless of immigration status — and urged consideration of a Washington Health Trust model.
Commissioners and staff noted that many of these requests overlap with other agenda items: Maureen Brinkland's group recommended funds from the OIC proviso be used to hire an actuarial consultant to model financing options, and Jane Grafton urged a legislative work session focused on the Washington Health Trust. Staff and the commission said they will circulate collected written comments in meeting packets and explore a shared folder for work-group access to comments between meetings.
The meeting proceeded without an early quorum to allow scheduled public comments; commissioners later approved the December meeting minutes by voice vote after additional members joined. The commission asked staff to prepare narrower proposals for actuarial support and to convene work groups to carry public input into design and legislative outreach.
The commission adjourned at 5 p.m. and plans to meet next on Thursday, April 30, from 2 to 5 p.m.