The purpose of this bulletin is to provide an overview of proposed 2015 Medicare outpatient final rule, which will affect Medicare outpatient payments to Washington State hospitals. This bulletin is also intended to alert members to their opportunity to obtain the detailed hospital-specific analysis done by the Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) that is available through the secure file transfer mechanism, and to alert members to their opportunity to comment on the proposed rule.... Read More >>

To inform you about the Dr. Robert Bree Collaborative draft report on Lumbar Fusion Surgery Bundle and the companion report on Spinal Fusion Warranty. We encourage you to comment on the reports, after reading them along with the issues discussed in this bulletin.... Read More >>

During its 2012 session, the Legislature passed House Bill 2582, an act relating to billing practices for health care services. The goal of the legislation is to ensure patients are informed about the potential for additional charges and out of pocket costs for services at provider-based clinics. ... Read More >>

The Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) has often heard from state legislators who want patients to have access to better information about health care costs. WSHA supports transparency, but has been concerned that responding to requests for information about charges may not help in educating patients.... Read More >>