August 4, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the calendar year (CY) 2021 outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS)/ambulatory surgical center (ASC) proposed rule. Major provisions of the... Read More >>

To improve patient access to care, HCA is adding additional Medicaid managed care organizations (MCO) in three different service regions.  This is a result of the state’s finding that Medicaid... Read More >>

WSHA recently provided input regarding two state health care proposals: Cascade Care Subsidy Study. In its comments to the Washington Health Benefit Exchange (HBE), WSHA detailed the ways hospitals currently... Read More >>

WSHA’s Government Affairs team has published its update to its State Regulatory Issues webpage. Members will find a comprehensive view of state rulemaking activities that affect them. This month, the team... Read More >>

August 6, WSHA submitted comments to the state’s  stakeholder draft rule related to the Balance Billing Protection Act (BBPA). This Act passed during the 2019 legislative session and was effective January 1,... Read More >>

The Washington Healthcare Forum website continues to address provider COVID-19 billing and payment questions for commercial plans, Medicare, and Medicaid, including Medicaid managed care. At WSHA’s request, the Forum recently... Read More >>

The purpose of this bulletin is to inform hospital and hospital systems about Substitute House Bill 2457, which creates the state Health Care Cost Transparency Board (“Board”). The Board’s objective is to determine the annual total health care expenditures and growth in Washington state and establish a health care cost growth benchmark (“Benchmark”). The Board will compare health care provider’s expenditures to the Benchmark and release reports that identify those that exceed the Benchmark. Due to WSHA’s advocacy, when determining the Benchmark, the Board will include and consider the cost drivers of health care. ... Read More >>

This week we are celebrating the 30-year anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which became law in 1990.... Read More >>

The purpose of this bulletin is to inform hospitals and health care systems about changes in law related to health plan prior authorization practice and data pursuant to Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6404. Certain health insurance carriers will be required to provide the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) information related to prior authorization requests. OIC will provide the information in a publicly available, aggregated report in January 2021. ... Read More >>

Last week, HHS changed the process and fields for collecting daily COVID-19 data from hospitals. All hospitals must use the HHS TeleTracking portal. The NHSN COVID Module has been retired. ... Read More >>