The Health Care Authority has sent $3.8 million in Small Rural Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments and an additional $2 million in grant payments to non-DSH critical access hospitals for the state fiscal year ending June 30, 2019. WSHA has worked with the legislature since 2010 to create and maintain the Hospital Safety Net Assessment program which restored the Small Rural DSH program and provides additional hospital funding to partially offset cuts to Medicaid hospital payment. The Small Rural DSH program and access grants for non-DSH critical access hospitals are funded by the program. Eligibility and payment amounts for Small Rural DSH and for the grant payments is determined by HCA at the conclusion of the DSH application process for the fiscal year.
HCA is now beginning the application process for the Small Rural DSH and Low Income DSH programs for state fiscal year 2020. Hospitals other than those participating in the Certified Public Expenditures (CPE) program must submit an initial application to HCA on or before August 1 to receive further consideration. CPE hospitals have a separate application process. Applications and questions concerning the process can be submitted to HCA at HCADSHAdmin@hca.wa.gov. (Andrew Busz, andrewb@wsha.org).
