FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
6/08/2026
Contact: andre@wholewashington.org
Press resources: wholewashington.org/press
Insurance Commissioner Kuderer Honors Universal Healthcare Orgs
Patty Kuderer Presents Awards to Whole Washington & Health Care for All Washington
Redmond, WA – Washington Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer recognized the state’s leading universal healthcare advocacy groups Whole Washington and Health Care for All Washington the “People Over Profits” awards at a campaign event at PostDoc Brewery in Redmond last Tuesday, June 2nd.
The award recognizes organizations advocating for human welfare and consumer protection over corporate interests. It spans multiple sectors, from grassroots social movements to sustainable business practices and legislative advocacy.
In presenting the awards, Kuderer said, “These two organizations have been working toward universal healthcare for many years and in that time have truly built a movement. People in our state want to move in this direction and they want a healthcare system that puts people over profits. I wanted to honor the work these organizations are doing, which has laid the foundation for the work we’re doing in the commissioner’s office. Together, we want to make sure everyone has access to quality healthcare at an affordable cost.”
The award comes less than two years into Kuderer’s first term as Insurance Commissioner, a position which landed her a seat on the state’s Universal Health Care Commission where Whole Washington and Health Care for All provide regular public comments. The recognition may be the result of a growing unity within the movement as both orgs sit on the steering committee of the powerful Health Care is a Human Right community-labor coalition.
Whole Washington is the author of the Washington Health Trust, the only universal healthcare bill introduced in the 2025-2026 legislative biennium. While leadership did not advance the bill amid the budget shortfall, Whole Washington is gearing up for an initiative campaign and targeting the 2028 ballot.
If passed, all Washingtonians would be eligible to enroll into the program to receive comprehensive medical coverage while paying no deductibles, copays, or point of service costs. The majority of funding comes from an employer payroll assessment, which would replace the premiums they pay to provide healthcare to their employees.
Kuderer has long been an outspoken critic of the U.S. healthcare system and often speaks to her own negative experiences navigating profit-driven insurance. As a Senator she was a cosponsor of the Washington Health Trust as introduced in 2019 (SB.5204) as well as the bill which created the Universal Health Care Commission (SB.5399).
In accepting the award, Whole Washington executive director Andre Stackhouse said, “One of my favorite things about working in this space is meeting interesting people who share your values. There’s been so many people working on fixing healthcare, but finding truly reliable advocates and cosponsors is rare and valuable – Commissioner Kuderer has been one of those advocates.”
The Universal Health Care Commission (and its advisory committee) meets monthly and features an open public comment period. You can attend an upcoming meeting to check out the work that Commissioner Kuderer, Whole Washington, and Health Care for All Washington is doing to advance universal healthcare.
