News

The Medicare Provider Reimbursement Manual requires hospitals to adjust their Medicare cost reports to eliminate the portion of association dues related to lobbying expenses. For calendar year 2015, the Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) has determined 21 percent of its membership dues were expended in activities that meet the Medicare definition of lobbying. For the Association of Washington Public Hospital Districts (AWPHD), 18 percent of its membership dues were used for lobbying. ... Read More >>

In a joint letter WSHA and the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems strongly opposed site neutral payment policies on provider-based hospital outpatient departments. Submitted to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, the letter was in response to a request for provider feedback on these policies.... Read More >>

WSHA hosted a one-hour webinar Feb. 23 to provide basic information and answer questions on Link4Health, the state’s effort to advance electronic exchange of clinical records and transform health care. This new program, sponsored by the Health Care Authority (HCA), is intended to provide real-time information exchange among providers caring for Medicaid patients. ... Read More >>

The state House and Senate released their respective proposals for the 2016 supplemental budget last week. The House proposed spending significant money on teacher salary increases and homelessness prevention.... Read More >>

he Health Care Authority is planning significant changes to Apple Health enrollment. Under a new policy effective April 1, 2016, enrollees will be retroactively assigned to a managed care plan as of the beginning of the month the patient is enrolled, rather than at the beginning of the month following enrollment.... Read More >>

WSHA hosted a webinar from 12-1 pm Feb. 23 to provide basic information and answer questions on Link4Health: the state’s effort to advance electronic exchange of clinical records and transform health care. This new program, sponsored by the Health Care Authority, is intended to provide real-time information exchange among providers caring for Medicaid patients. The state has partnered with OneHealthPort, the state-designated health information exchange, on this initiative.... Read More >>

The State Senate released its proposal for the 2016 supplemental budget yesterday. The Senate takes a significantly different approach than the House to its budget proposal, making more cuts than the House did and leaving a much larger balance in the budget stabilization account. In addition, the Senate spends less. ... Read More >>

In a joint letter, WSHA and the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems strongly opposed site neutral payment policies on provider-based hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). Submitted to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, the letter was in response to a request for provider feedback on these policies.... Read More >>

Washington Hospital Services Industry Partner H-Source offers a first of its kind cloud based solution designed to solve supply chain and materials management problems. They have created a marketplace that allows health care organizations to buy and sell medical products and equipment with each other via private networks.... Read More >>

The Office of Financial Management (OFM) recently released a brief examining maternal and newborn inpatient rates in which drugs or alcohol were a factor. Between 1990 and 2014, the rate of maternal hospital stays that included a diagnosis of substance abuse increased threefold, and the rate of newborn hospital stays that stemmed from maternal substance abuse increased fourfold, according to the report. Most of this increase is due to increased opiate use.... Read More >>