Insurance commissioner frontrunner supports universal health coverage in Washington. Here's what that means

Plus a history lesson behind the law that blocked the extra Bobs.

Technically, eight people are running for Insurance Commissioner. But only state Sen. Patty Kuderer has raised any money for the race, which makes her a likely favorite and the candidate whose health care platform deserves your attention.

Central to Kuderer’s platform is moving Washington State toward a universal health care system, meaning all residents would have access to quality health services without risk of financial hardship. 

There are a few ways to achieve UHC in Washington: By providing health insurance to those who still need it and maintaining the current, multi-payer, for-profit system, or overhauling it entirely. Health economists point to a single-payer system, where the government is the primary payer and administrator of insurance plans, as the most cost-efficient system for patients and the best way to reduce overall expenditures in the health system.¹ 

One of Kuderer’s opponents in the race, Republican Senator Phil Fortunato, balked at the idea of a single-payer system working in Washington, arguing that increased competition between health insurance companies is what will drive down costs for consumers. Others hoped the centrist Democrat, state Senator Mark Mullet, might pivot from the governor’s race to run for insurance commissioner, which did not happen. 

Some health care stakeholders hoped Mullet, a pro-business democrat, would join the race ahead of the filing deadline because of the fear that Kuderer is running for Insurance Commissioner to put commercial health insurers out of business in Washington. 

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