A delegation of leaders from WSHA member hospitals are in Washington, D.C., this week to advocate for rural hospitals and health care as part of Rural Advocacy Days. They met with Sen. Maria Cantwell and Reps. Dave Reichert, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Derek Kilmer and Susan DelBene.... Read More >>

A new study conducted for the American Hospital Association has found that Medicare patients who receive care in a hospital outpatient department are more likely to be lower income and have more severe chronic conditions than Medicare patients treated in an independent physician’s office. The study highlights why proposals under consideration by Congress to reimburse hospitals the same amount as physician’s offices could threaten access to care for the most vulnerable patients and communities.... Read More >>

In our letter WSHA strongly urged the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ to withdraw its proposed sixty percent payment cut to office visit services provided at off-campus hospital-based clinic locations.... Read More >>

The Health Care Authority (HCA) changed its Medicaid payment policy regarding preventable readmissions effective January 1, 2018. WSHA has been told by HCA that some hospitals are not responding to Medicaid managed care organizations’ (MCO) records requests to allow the MCOs to review the readmission... Read More >>

WSHA recently sent a bulletin to members detailing changes to the state charity care law, RCW 70.170. The new law, Senate Bill (SB) 6273, takes effect October 1, 2018 ...... Read More >>

WSHA recently urged Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ to withdraw its proposed changes in the Physician Fee Schedule rule. ... Read More >>

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is requiring the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) for each region to audit the S-10 forms that are submitted by hospitals as part of their Medicare cost report. ... Read More >>

Noridian has notified WSHA that Noridian has retained the contract for Jurisdiction F, which includes the state of Washington, for a period up to seven years. ... Read More >>

Our 2018 WHPAC campaign is well underway and we have raised more than $136,000 to date toward our $300,000 goal. Thank you to the leadership teams at the following hospitals/health systems for meeting their PAC goal for 2018.... Read More >>

The Senate this week overwhelmingly approved bipartisan legislation aimed at combating the opioid epidemic. With more than 70 provisions, the measure would boost research to develop nonaddictive painkillers, encourage pain management techniques that don’t rely on opioids and allow states to better track opioid prescriptions. It also authorizes additional funds for treatment and prevention.... Read More >>