Two big telemedicine bills have hearings this week. Our primary focus continues to be on SB 5175, which requires commercial and Medicaid health plans to reimburse providers for health care... Read More >>

Mental health is a top policy and budget priority for WSHA this year, and for legislators as well. The Supreme Court case on psychiatric boarding helped bring the issue to... Read More >>

Overview of the Week The caucus and floor action continues as we approach this week’s cutoff for bills to be voted on and passed by their house of origin. Since... Read More >>

Bills that impact the state budget had another major cutoff last week, when they were supposed to have been voted on by their fiscal committees. By March 11, bills must... Read More >>

It was an exciting week leading up to Friday’s cutoff for bills to be voted out of their committee. (Cutoff calendar is here) To make it easy, we’ve listed all... Read More >>

Representatives Joe Schmick and Eileen Cody have introduced a bill that would prohibit the Department of Health from giving a Certificate of Need (CN) for a purchase, sale, or lease... Read More >>

HB 1946, sponsored by Rep. Laurie Jinkins, would tax hospitals at 6 percent of revenue to fund a “Wellness Trust.” The trust would be used to fund local public health... Read More >>

On Friday, two bills were added to the Senate schedule related to last year’s state Supreme Court decision to end the practice of psychiatric boarding.   We support SB 5645,... Read More >>

The telemedicine bill that WSHA and its members support has hearings in the Senate and House this week, House Bill 1403 and Senate Bill 5175. (Download the issue brief here.)... Read More >>

The legislature has been off and running since it was called into session last Monday. The House and Senate are in full swing, considering bills and debating the Governor’s budget proposals.... Read More >>