Under a proposed rule, the licensing fee for acute care hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, and alcohol and chemical dependency hospitals will increase by $15 per bed to cover the cost of fire safety inspections performed by the State Fire Marshal’s Office. ... Read More >>

The Health Care Authority has issued a value-based payment survey for providers. The survey will assist HCA in tracking progress toward the statewide goal of paying for value-based care, rather than paying for volume of care.... Read More >>

Section 213 of the operating budget bill recently passed by the state legislature includes a proviso requiring Medicaid managed care plans pay rural health clinics, upon request, their full encounter rate at the time of service... Read More >>

The Office of the Insurance Commissioner OIC) has begun a rulemaking process regarding alternative prior authorization processes, sometimes known as “goldcarding”.... Read More >>

The rollercoaster effort by Republicans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) took yet another dramatic turn on Tuesday. The unexpected return of ailing Sen. John McCain combined with a tie-breaking vote from Vice President Mike Pence gave Senate GOP leaders the 51 votes necessary to begin debate on the future of the ACA. The Senate is expected to consider three main proposals.... Read More >>

To help answer questions about the patient experience through treatment, Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle launched its Peer-to-Peer counseling program, which pairs volunteers who have undergone surgery with those are about to undergo surgery. While doctors can answer all the clinical questions, the peer counselors can offer a first-hand account of what the experience will be like, and answer some personal questions about the process they may be uncomfortable asking their provider.... Read More >>

Be sure to mark your calendar for WSHA’s 85th Annual Member Meeting Thursday Oct. 12 at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront! This year’s meeting will be one day, with the annual Governance Education Day to follow at the Marriott on Friday Oct. 13. WSHA’s room block is now open and you can make your reservation using WSHA’s group rate. The reservation deadline is Sept. 18. Registration for both events will open after Labor Day.... Read More >>

WSHA continues our commitment to improving patient safety and reducing harm from all causes by supporting Rapid Response Teams, which are supportive clinicians with advanced skills who are able to assess a patient when there is a concern that a patient’s condition is declining. Rapid Response Team processes can be initiated by patients, family members and staff.... Read More >>

Washington State’s Office of Financial Management’s (OFM’s) Health Research Center recently released a research brief examining potentially preventable hospital readmissions by legislative district across the state. The report examines hospitalizations for 11 conditions that, in theory, would not have required inpatient care if the patients had had timely access to primary or secondary care services, such as vaccinations, antibiotics or regular physician office visits.... Read More >>

The Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Connect2Health Task Force will convene virtual listening sessions beginning next month to get input on broadband health issues, including on the rural/urban gap and other digital divide issues, from stakeholders outside Washington, D.C.... Read More >>