News

Congressional leaders released a 2,009-page bill Dec. 16 that funds the government through Sept. 30, 2016. Lawmakers rejected a hospital-backed technical correction to the November budget deal’s site neutral provision and a fix for cancer hospitals advocated by the Seattle Cancer Alliance.... Read More >>

WSHA gave a fond farewell to two retiring member hospital Chief Financial Officers at its recent meeting of the WSHA Chief Financial Officer Advisory Group. ... Read More >>

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently finalized its rule concerning the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) program. The program will make hospitals that provide lower joint replacement surgeries in specified geographic areas financially responsible for costs related to an episode of care, including post-acute services. ... Read More >>

On December 4, the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) sent interested stakeholders, including WSHA, draft legislation concerning balance billing for services by a provider who is not contracted with a patient’s health plan, when the services are provided at a contracted hospital. ... Read More >>

Washington Hospital Services Industry Partner, Commerce Bank, helps member’s accounts payable department pay invoices on time and with accuracy. The time elapsed before payments are disbursed through highly manual processes, which cause all the moving parts to slow down and sets bill payments forward in slow motion, incurring additional costs along the way.... Read More >>

BloodworksNW has a new partner in its Cord Blood Program: St. Joseph Medical Center, a part of CHI Franciscan Health. Through the partnership, mothers giving birth at the Tacoma hospital can donate blood from their umbilical cords to BloodworksNW, which can then be used in lifesaving treatments and research.... Read More >>

Washington Apple Health (Medicaid) is now covering both over-the-counter and prescription prenatal vitamins for all women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, including retroactive coverage through Oct. 1, 2015. Prenatal vitamins are covered in order to provide a daily vitamin supplement containing 0.4 to 0.8 milligrams of folic acid.... Read More >>

On Tuesday Dec. 9, the Washington Health Alliance, in partnership with Healthier Washington, released its 2015 Community Checkup Report, “Measuring Health Care in Washington State.” This is a broad and fascinating look at health care in Washington State. The report introduces metrics on the state’s newly adopted common measure set for health care quality and cost. ... Read More >>

Vince Oliver, CEO and superintendent of Island Hospital, is the 2015 winner of the American Hospital Association’s (AHA) Shirley Ann Munroe Leadership Award. The award recognizes the accomplishments of small or rural hospital leaders in the country who have improved health care delivery in their communities through innovative and progressive efforts.... Read More >>

Member news headlines from the Dec. 10, 2015 Weekly Report.... Read More >>