(Letter-to-The-Editor) Watch for petitions for I-1600 — Universal Healthcare for Washington State.  The measure would provide a comprehensive non-profit program to pay for healthcare for all Washington residents.  “Instead of our current system of high premiums, payroll taxes, co-pays, deductibles and out of network fees, everyone will be covered by the Whole Washington Trust.

Imagine no profit margin based denials, lawyers to fight for implementation of policies, actuaries dividing citizens into acceptable risk pools, premium paid dividends for Wall Street investors, and charge master lists that require negotiation for coverage of hospital procedures.

Did you know Toronto General Hospital has only TWO insurance processors?  Most Washington hospitals have one per bed!  We need to have a conversation of how to make Universal care work! With our large medical infrastructure already in place, I 1600 would save Washington billions of dollars to add to our economy and education– long term benefits for short term adjustments.

If Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett and Jamie Dimon can consider a Universal plan for their employees, why cannot the State of  Washington do so as well for our population?

Donna Starr

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Filed under: Initiatives

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