Panel Clears Hospital Bill: The House Ways and Means Committee has approved legislation that would extend the time hospitals have to qualify to be grandfathered into the existing payment system for services provided in off-campus, provider-based clinics. Washington Rep. Jim McDermott was the lead Democratic sponsor of the measure. WSHA supported the bill.... Read More >>

Hospital leaders across the state are committed to doing our part to stop the opioid abuse epidemic. We are very excited about a new state law that expands access to the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP).... Read More >>

An estimated 15.5 million fewer U.S. adults were uninsured in March 2016 than September 2013, shortly before the Health Insurance Marketplaces opened for enrollment, according to the Urban Institute's latest Health Reform Monitoring Survey. The proportion of uninsured non-elderly adults declined 7.7 percentage points over the period, to 9.9 percent, the survey estimates.... Read More >>

With the 40th Annual Rural Hospital Leadership Conference in Chelan June 26-29 now just a few weeks away, you can prepare for the conference by downloading the new WSHA and AWPHD event app! You can access the WSHA app through a computer or mobile device.... Read More >>

As an increasing number of health care providers retire, many communities are preparing themselves for a time in which there is a shortage of physicians. Harrison Medical Center has gone through the designation process and become a teaching hospital, which is the first step toward creating a residency program to train new doctors.... Read More >>

Please join Washington Hospital Services Industry Partner ZeOmega along with Signal Health and MIN-NS for a webinar from 10-11 am June 16 on the “Next Evolution of Health Information Exchanges (HIEs).”... Read More >>

An estimated 84 percent of non-federal acute care hospitals had at least a basic electronic health record in 2015, up from 76 percent in 2014 and 28 percent in 2011, according to a report released May 31 by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.... Read More >>

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services made a change, effective July 1, 2016, requiring Medicare Part B providers to bill, on a separate expense line with a “DW” modifier, any unused portion of a single use vial or package of medication. Washington Hospital Services Industry Partner Para HealthCare has provided a helpful article detailing the new requirements.... Read More >>

Recent member news from the June 2, 2016 Weekly Report.... Read More >>

Join the Washington State Department of Health, Washington State Medical Association and WSHA for a webcast on Friday, June 10 from 1-2p.m. to learn more about the opioid epidemic, HB 2730, implementation process, timeline and future policy options to address the opioid epidemic.... Read More >>