Inside Olympia: RNEP, PEBB/SEBB, others up for hearings

January 28, 2025

Four high-priority topics are up for hearings this week: the Rural Nursing Education Program, Public Employee’s Benefits Board and School Employees Benefits Board (PEBB/SEBB) carrier contracting, Medicaid network adequacy requirements for post-acute care and use of the all-payer claims database.

This week’s top bills with hearings in Olympia

HB 1123/SB 5083: Ensuring access to primary care, behavioral health, and affordable hospital services (PEBB/SEBB)

WSHA opposes HB 1123/SB 5083, which would require hospitals to contract with any PEBB or SEBB plan. Payment rates would be capped at the lesser of 1) billed charges or 2) 200% of the Medicare rate. The bills give hospitals little leverage when insurers behave badly or increase their prior authorization requirements. The payment cut to hospitals would shift costs onto commercial payers. HB 1123 had a public hearing at 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 27 in the House Committee on Appropriations, and SB 5083 will have a public hearing at 8 a.m. Friday, Jan. 31 in the Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care. WSHA will testify against the bills. Before 7 a.m. Jan. 31, members can sign-in opposed to SB 5083 here. (Ashlen Strong)

SB 5335: Establishing the Rural Nursing Education Program

WSHA supports SB 5335, which establishes the Rural Nursing Education Program. The Program would provide education and clinical training for those working in rural communities and hospitals, allowing them to become licensed registered nurses (RNs) by attending classes online while completing clinical work in the local community. It also would allow communities to grow a pipeline of workers locally. This bill will establish the program statewide. SB 5335 will have a public hearing at 8 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 30 in the Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care. WSHA will testify in support. Members can sign-in on SB 5335 here before 7 a.m. Thursday. (Jacqueline Barton True)

SB 5124: Establishing Medicaid network adequacy standards for skilled nursing facilities and rehabilitation hospitals

WSHA strongly supports SB 5124, establishing post-acute network adequacy standards for Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs) and ensuring Medicaid patients have more equitable access to post-acute care options in a timely and predictable manner. WSHA’s input played a key role in crafting this legislation.

MCO networks for skilled nursing facilities and inpatient rehabilitation hospitals are woefully inadequate and result in delayed care. Patients are not getting the rehabilitative and restorative care they need at the right time and this impacts patient quality of life, resulting in patients being less able to care for themselves after strokes, surgeries and major accidents, creating long-term health inequity.

SB 5124 will have a public hearing at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28 in the Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care. WSHA will testify in support. (Zosia Stanley)

HB 1382: Modernizing the all payer claims database (APCD)

WSHA has concerns with HB 1382, which would remove restrictions on access to proprietary financial data, including on claims payment information in the state’s APCD. This would also allow the data to be used for payment policy and procurement by the Health Care Authority and other entities. WSHA will request that current restrictions on the data remain. If release and use of the financial data is authorized, WSHA will raise questions about who has access to the data and under what circumstances. HB 1382 will have a public hearing at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28 in the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness. WSHA will testify with its concerns. (Andrew Busz)

WSHA weighing in: Jan. 27-31

Monday, Jan. 27

  • House Appropriations
    • HB 1123: Ensuring access to primary care, behavioral health, and affordable hospital services. See article above. (Ashlen Strong/Mary Storace)
  • Senate Human Services
  • Senate Law & Justice
    • SB 5229: Facilitating civil commitment for treatment for a person requiring revival by opioid overdose reversal medication. (Cara Helmer)

Tuesday, Jan. 28

  • House Early Learning & Human Services
    • HB 1382: Modernizing the all payers claim database. See article above. (Andrew Busz)
    • HB 1459: Modernizing the child fatality statute. (Cara Helmer)
  • House Environment & Energy
    • HB 1543: Increasing compliance pathways for the clean buildings performance standard. (Remy Kerr)
  • House Health Care & Wellness
    • HB 1291: Concerning cost sharing for maternity services. (Andrew Busz)
  • Senate Health & Long Term Care
    • SB 5124: Establishing network adequacy standards for skilled nursing facilities and rehabilitation hospitals. See article above. (Zosia Stanley)
    • SB 5242: Establishing an interactive screening program to improve access to behavioral health resources for health care providers.

Wednesday, Jan. 29

  • House Early Learning & Human Services
    • HB 1200: Authorizing payment for parental caregivers of minor children with developmental disabilities. (Katerina LaMarche/Zosia Stanley)
    • HB 1130: Concerning utilization of developmental disabilities waivers. (Zosia Stanley)
    • HB 1344: Increasing access to respite care for those with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their caregivers. (Zosia Stanley)
  • House Health Care & Wellness
    • HB 1287: Addressing the disclosure of health information for care coordination. (Cara Helmer)
    • HB1394: Concerning the retention of hospital medical records. (Cara Helmer)
    • HB 1432: Improving access to appropriate mental health and substance use disorder services. (Cara Helmer)
  • House Labor & Workplace Standards
    • HB 1524: Concerning workplace standards and requirements applicable to employers of isolated employees. (Remy Kerr)

Thursday, Jan. 30

  • Senate Health & Long Term Care
    • SB 5299: Concerning general supervision of diagnostic radiologic technologists, therapeutic radiologic technologists, and magnetic resonance imaging technologists by licensed physicians. (Katerina LaMarche)
    • SB 5335: Establishing the rural nursing education program. See article above. (Jacqueline Barton True)

Friday, Jan. 31

  • House Consumer Protection & Business
    • HB 1203: Prohibiting the sale of certain tobacco and nicotine products. (Remy Kerr)
    • HB 1534: Enhancing the regulation of tobacco products, alternative nicotine products, and vapor products. (Remy Kerr)
  • House Health Care & Wellness
    • HB 1531: Preserving the ability of public officials to address communicable diseases. (Zosia Stanley)
    • HB 1545: Improving cardiac and stroke outcomes. (Jacqueline Barton True)
  • Senate Health & Long Term Care
    • SB 5083: Ensuring access to primary care, behavioral health, and affordable hospital services. See article above. (Ashlen Strong/Mary Storace)

Thank you for testifying!

Thank you to everyone who testified in support of WSHA’s legislative efforts last week:

  • Andrea Howell, Pullman Regional Hospital
  • Kelly Thompson, Forks Community Hospital

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