\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.king5.com\/assets\/shared-images\/icons\/arrow-circle-down.svg\"){kind=icon}
<\/p>\n
\n This story continues below.
<\/p>\n
Advocates and lawmakers are now looking ahead to the 2027 session after a key proposal, Senate Bill 5947<\/a>, stalled in Olympia this year. The bill, described as a \u201ctrigger\u201d for a universal system, would have laid the groundwork for a state-run plan providing comprehensive coverage to all residents.<\/p>\n RELATED:\u00a0Dr. Oz announces a 50-state audit of Medicaid program oversight<\/a><\/p>\n While the measure did not advance out of the House before a key deadline, supporters say progress made over the past two years positions the effort for a stronger return.<\/p>\n A 2025 federal law allows states to pursue waivers to consolidate funding from programs such as Medicaid and Medicare into a unified, state-administered system, provided coverage meets federal standards.<\/p>\n
At the same time, Washington\u2019s existing coverage system is showing signs of strain.<\/p>\n New data from the exchange\u2019s upcoming spring 2026 report shows about 40,000 fewer Washingtonians are enrolled when compared with the same time last year, officials said.<\/p>\n Roughly one in four Washington residents currently receive coverage through Washington Healthplanfinder.\u00a0<\/p>\n Officials attribute the decline largely to the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits and other federal policy changes affecting affordability. The exchange previously estimated<\/a> that the costs associated with the expiration would be almost $1,000 per month \u2014 for a married couple in King County earning $120,000 annually, for example.<\/p>\n \u201cThose who do remain enrolled on the exchange continue to face an affordability crisis,\u201d said Laura Kate Zaichkin, the exchange\u2019s director of market competition and affordability.<\/p>\n About 50,000 fewer Washingtonians are receiving tax credits this year. The exchange estimates roughly $275 million in enhanced federal subsidies will be lost.<\/p>\n Even with mitigation efforts from state partners, officials warn enrollment could drop by as much as 30% over the next several years, with many of those individuals potentially becoming uninsured.<\/p>\n
\nEnrollment drops as costs rise <\/p>\n