The House Democrats today released their proposal for the 2016 supplemental budget. For hospitals and health systems, the most significant part of the budget is more than $45 million investments in mental health to combat the state’s mental health crisis. Mental health is WSHA’s top budget priority.... Read More >>
While the legislature continues to debate hundreds of policy bills, budget writers are also focusing on crafting a supplemental budget for 2016-2017. The legislature enacted a biennial budget for 2015-2017, but this supplemental budget is meant to address emerging needs, such as last summer’s wildfires and the rising costs of prescription drugs. ... Read More >>
Washington State has a significant opportunity to expand services delivered through telemedicine with Senate Bill 6519. This year’s bill, sponsored by Senator Becker, seeks to allow patients to have virtual provider visits in their homes starting in January 2018. WSHA strongly supports this bill and testified last week. We are working with Senator Becker to refine the bill. The bill would also create a collaborative that would meet over the next two years to recommend to the legislature other advancements in telemedicine and telehealth.... Read More >>
Two bills have advanced through the House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee that would limit the use of non-compete clauses in employment contracts in Washington State. Many hospitals and physician groups in Washington State use non-compete clauses in physician contracting. Hospitals that use non-compete clauses consider them an important and necessary tool to protect hospital investments in physicians.... Read More >>
It was an exciting week leading up to Friday’s cutoff for bills to be voted out of their original policy committee. To make it easy, we’ve listed all of the major bills we’ve been tracking. This is just a partial list; WSHA/AWPHD staff have reviewed more than 300 bills thus far. ... Read More >>
We are very thankful for everyone who comes to Olympia to testify! Your testimony is essential for helping legislators and the public to understand the real impact of proposed legislation. ... Read More >>
We are very thankful for everyone who comes to Olympia to testify! Your testimony is essential for helping legislators and the public to understand the real impact of proposed legislation. Last week, we were pleased to have testimony from Dr. Michael Schiesser from EvergreenHealth.... Read More >>
WSHA is testifying on the following bills this week.... Read More >>
Friday Feb. 5 is the last day to pass bills from legislative committees to the floor in the house of origin (except for House fiscal committees and the Senate Ways & Means and transportation committees). We are focused this week on making sure the bills we support make it out of committee.... Read More >>
House Bill 2362 governs how the public can request footage taken by a body camera from a law enforcement officer via the Public Records Act (PRA). The bill also directs law enforcement agencies to develop polices on the use of body cameras and creates a task force to study and make recommendations on all aspects of the use of body-worn cameras for surveillance, gathering evidence, and transparency and accountability in interactions between law enforcement officials and members of the public.... Read More >>
