The Washington State Department of Health and Human Services (DSHS) is offering a webcast from 10 a.m. to noon November 6 on the new Medicaid Alternative Care (MAC) Tailored Supports for Older Adults (TSOA) programs. These are new programs offered through DSHS as part of the state’s Medicaid Transformation Demonstration. Both programs could be helpful discharging patients back to their homes rather than to long-term care facilities and helping patients obtain support to stay in their homes.... Read More >>

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is offering a special, time-limited offer of financial assistance to facilities that commit to implementing measurement and reporting using the NHSN Antimicrobial Use and Resistance (NHSN-AUR) module.... Read More >>

Strong participation is at the heart of a healthy democracy. The good government geeks at WSHA are begging you—please vote and be heard! Ballots need to be dropped in the ballot drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day November 7.... Read More >>

Initiative 1433, enacted by voters, becomes law on January 1. The law increases the minimum wage and requires all employers to offer paid sick leave to employees. The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) has provided an informational website to learn more and has split rulemaking into two parts. ... Read More >>

Gov. Inslee has appointed Susan Birch as the new director of the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA). Susan is currently the executive director of the Colorado Department of Health Policy and Financing.... Read More >>

Membership updates from the November 2, 2017 Weekly Report.... Read More >>

Recent member news from the November 2, 2017 Weekly Report.... Read More >>

We’ve been fighting hard on the national level to preserve Affordable Care Act coverage. We are very concerned that residents who need health coverage may think it has gone away as a result of all the negative media coverage. We are also concerned at the loss of federal funds for outreach and enrollment efforts. We need your help to make sure people know that health coverage is available and to help them enroll!... Read More >>

Fighting cancer is not only frightening, but it is also physically painful and exhausting, especially because cancer care has so many different elements, including testing, treatment and support. To take away the unnecessary stress of coordinating between different facilities and providers, Overlake Medical Center in Bellevue opened the Overlake Cancer Center, which offers comprehensive cancer care in a single location.... Read More >>

The Washington State Health Care Authority, Office of the Insurance Commissioner and Department of Health have teamed up to let breast cancer survivors know that insurance that covers mastectomies must also cover breast reconstruction. This includes reconstructive surgery and breast prostheses or forms. Helping patients recover a sense of wholeness is crucial to a full recovery following breast cancer treatment.... Read More >>