(The Center Square) – The Washington State Legislature passed a memorial on Tuesday, calling on President Donald Trump and the Republican-led Congress to implement a universal healthcare system.
Congress considers the idea almost every year, but due to strong opposition from Republicans and some moderate Democrats, it’s never passed. Regardless, state lawmakers decided to throw a Hail Mary after recently passing another bill to make medical debt unenforceable.
The odds of Republicans taking up the idea and passing it through both chambers seem even less likely with Trump back in office. Many within his party are set on cutting federal spending to address a ballooning national debt, which critics argue universal healthcare would make worse.
“We can figure out a specific policy that works very well for the people of the state,” Rep. Dan Bronoske, D-Lakewood, said Tuesday night, “but we can’t get there without the partnership of our federal partners, and we do need the explicit permission from the federal government.”
The House passed Senate Joint Memorial 8004 by a 56-39 vote, with one Democrat siding with every Republican against the letter to Trump and Congress. The Senate passed the memorial in February with a party-line vote, reinforcing the divide between parties even back home.
The address requests that federal lawmakers implement a universal system nationwide or grant Washington state the ability to do so on its own. The lawmakers wrote that the current system is “in a downward spiral,” with skyrocketing medical costs and debt driving many into bankruptcy.
The U.S. healthcare system relies on a patchwork of private insurers and public programs that some call a “multiplier” system. Under this model, residents, businesses and the government pay insurance companies, each with its own rules, rates and networks.
Critics call the system inefficient and redundant, pointing to higher administrative costs than universal models in other countries. They want debt-free healthcare for those who can’t afford it. According to state data, roughly 379,000 residents, or 4.3% of Washington, were uninsured in 2023.
“We need waivers from the federal government to be able to do this,” said Rep. Joe Schmick, R-Colfax. “I just don’t believe that they’re going to give us that freedom or flexibility.”
Schmick, who sits on the Universal Health Care Commission created by the Legislature in 2021, said several other states have eyed universal systems but pulled back due to the price tag.
The memorial emphasized support for federal legislation introduced by U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif. The State-Based Universal Health Care Act of 2023 would create waivers like Schmick mentioned so that states can develop their own universal healthcare with federal funding.
Some estimates suggest a universal system could save taxpayers upwards of $450 billion, but that might come with higher upfront costs for the federal government. The healthcare industry opposes the idea, with many critics arguing it would require significant new taxes anyway.
Rep. Michael Keaton, R-South Hill, told his House Democrats to be careful what they wish for.
“Our great neighboring country to the north, they asked for universal health care,” Keaton said Tuesday. “The median wait time in order to see a general practitioner … is now up to 30 weeks. Can you imagine waiting seven months or more to see a general practitioner doctor?”
In a Republican-controlled Washington, D.C., the letter may land flat on its face — but for the other Washington, Democrats say it’s worth a try.
