In March, the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner released data from the 2017 annual insurer filings. ... Read More >>
In March, the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) released data from the 2017 annual insurer filings. WSHA analyzed trends from the top three commercial and Medicaid insurers in the state for 2016 and 2017.... Read More >>
May is National Mental Health Month: a time to recognize the importance of mental health care in our communities and raise awareness about mental health conditions. In Washington State, this also means raising awareness of the challenges our mental health care system faces, and the initiatives that can address them. Mental health remains one of WSHA’s top legislative priorities, and although we are steadily making progress, our system still needs work.... Read More >>
The U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee this week held the second in a series of hearings examining the 340B drug savings program. Representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the Government Accountability Office testified on oversight reports related to the program and shared recommendations for improving it.... Read More >>
Two key U.S. House committees hope to advance legislation this week that addresses the nation’s opioid crisis. The House Energy and Commerce Committee, which last week approved 25 opioid-related bills, will vote on another 34 on May 17.... Read More >>
Substitute Senate Bill 5883 requires the Health Care Authority (HCA) to contract with licensed dental health plans or managed health care plans to provide managed care dental services by January 1, 2019.... Read More >>
On April 24, 2018, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the proposed federal fiscal year (FFY) 2019 payment rule for Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) hospitals... Read More >>
Presentation slides are available from the SFY 2015 Disproportional Share Hospital (DSH) audit training webcast provided by Myers and Stauffer on April 24, 2018.... Read More >>
The Health Care Authority recently posted updated versions of its Medicaid billing guides for hospital and physician related services. ... Read More >>
On April 27, the Department of Health (DOH) released a policy statement on naloxone (opioid overdose medication) distribution from hospital emergency departments. The policy clarifies state law and affirms that hospital emergency departments are authorized to distribute the medication. The policy is in alignment with federal announcements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Surgeon General encouraging expanded access to naloxone.... Read More >>
