WSHA is excited that SB 6257, which clarifies that patients be Washington State residents to be eligible for charity care for non-emergencies, will receive its first public hearing this week. This bill will ensure that Washington State will not become a medical tourism destination. The hospital home companion bill will also receive its first public hearing this week.
This week’s top bills with hearings in Olympia
SB 6257: Defining Washington State residency requirements for purposes of hospital charity care
WSHA strongly supports SB 6257, which requires that patients be residents of Washington State to be eligible for non-emergency charity care. The state Department of Health (DOH) in September 2023 changed its 30-year-plus interpretation of state law, forcing hospitals to change their policies to allow charity care for non-emergency care for anyone in the world. This had no bearing on the requirement that anyone, regardless of residency, be eligible for charity care in emergency situations.
WSHA issued a legal challenge to the interpretation, motioning for a summary judgment that was denied on Jan. 5. The judge’s ruling indicated that administrative action to rectify the situation had not been exhausted, leading WSHA to advocate for legislation that would clarify residency requirements. WSHA worked closely with lawmakers to craft this bill.
The Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care will hold a public hearing on SB 6257 at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 25. (Cara Helmer)
HB 2295: Concerning hospital at-home services
WSHA strongly supports HB 2295, which would continue the Hospital at Home program for patients past its current sunset date of May 1, 2024. This is the companion bill to SB 6101, which had its first public hearing last week. Read more about this issue from the Jan. 15 Inside Olympia.
The House Committee on Health Care & Wellness will hold a public hearing on HB 2295 at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan 24. WSHA will testify in support. (Katerina LaMarche)
WSHA Weighing In: Jan. 22-26
WSHA is weighing in on the following bills this week:
Monday, Jan. 22
- House Appropriations
- HB 1946: Creating the Washington health corps behavioral health scholarship program. (Katerina LaMarche)
Tuesday, Jan. 23
- House Civil Rights & Judiciary
- HB 2088: Extending liability protections for responders dispatched from mobile rapid response crisis teams and community-based crisis teams. (Cara Helmer)
- House Health Care & Wellness
- HB 1859: Concerning the rights of residents in long-term care facilities. (Zosia Stanley)
- HB 2319: Concerning substance use disorder treatment. (Cara Helmer)
- HB 2347: Concerning adult family home information. (Zosia Stanley)
- HB 2355: Establishing a primary certification process for magnetic resonance imaging technologists. (Katerina LaMarche)
- House Labor & Workplace Standards
- HB 2061: Defining an employee of a health care facility for purposes of mandatory overtime provisions. (Ashlen Strong)
- Senate Health & Long Term Care
- SB 6228: Concerning treatment of substance use disorders. (Cara Helmer)
- Senate Local Government, Lan Use & Tribal Affairs
- SB 6230: Creating an option for impacted taxing districts to provide a portion of their new revenue to support any tax increment area proposed within their jurisdiction. (Andrew Busz)
Wednesday, Jan. 24
- House Appropriations
- HB 1972: Increasing the licensure fees that support the Washington physicians health program. (Katerina LaMarche)
- House Health Care & Wellness
- HB 2295: Concerning hospital at-home services. See article above. (Katerina LaMarche)
- House Human Services, Youth & Early Learning
- HB 2365: Increasing access to respite care for those with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their caregivers. (Andrew Busz)
- House Local Government
- HB 2354: Creating an option for impacted taxing districts to provide a portion of their new revenue to support any tax increment area proposed within their jurisdiction. (Andrew Busz)
- House Postsecondary Education & Workforce
- HB 2339: Adjusting certification renewal for home care aides and nursing assistants. (Katerina LaMarche)
- Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education
- SB 6216: Establishing a statewide network for student mental and behavioral health. (Cara Helmer)
Thursday, Jan. 25
- House Appropriations
- HB 1969: Expanding the definition of family member for individual providers. (Katerina LaMarche)
- Senate Health & Long Term Care
- SB 6148: Establishing maternal and perinatal quality of care metrics for Washingtonians on Medicaid. (Andrew Busz)
- SB 6257: Defining Washington state residency requirements for purposes of hospital charity care. See article above. (Cara Helmer)
- Senate Human Services
- SB 6110: Modernizing the child fatality statute. (Cara Helmer)
Friday, Jan. 26
- House Health Care & Wellness
- HB 2396: Concerning fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. (Cara Helmer)
Thank you for testifying!
Thank you to everyone who testified in support of WSHA’s legislative efforts last week:
- Dr. Christopher Dale, Medical Director, Providence
- Dr. Ettore Palazzo, CEO, Evergreen Healthcare
- Bill Robertson, CEO, MultiCare Health System
- Dr. Megha Shah, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health
- Alex Town, Chief Administrative Officer, Samaritan Healthcare
- Dr. Jessica Van Fleet-Green, Physician Executive, MultiCare Health System
