Health Care Authority (HCA) will host a webinar from 10-11:30am April 28 to provide hospital staff an overview of the state’s Medicaid readmissions policy and an explanation of the quarterly hospital reports HCA sent each facility as part of its program on potentially preventable readmissions. ... Read More >>
Although we overshot the legislative session deadline by a bit, this year ended without the extended negotiations we saw last year. We are grateful to the legislators who made some difficult compromises in order to conclude on time.... Read More >>
For more than 90 years, Shriners Hospitals for Children ― Spokane has been caring for pediatric orthopaedic conditions, treating kids 18 and under from Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska and Canada, and around the world. It treats conditions ranging from fractures and sports injuries easily corrected through same-day surgery to serious orthopaedic issues requiring multiple surgeries.... Read More >>
The American Hospital Assocation (AHA) has launched a special webpage to help hospitals and health systems know how to protect themselves from cybersecurity threats. The page includes a suite of resources, including podcasts on emerging threats, questions for hospital leaders and trustees, and fact sheets.... Read More >>
On April 4, the Obama administration released a final report projecting the impact of climate change on U.S. public health. The anticipated health risks include increased air pollution and allergens, premature deaths from extreme heat, Lyme disease, water-related illnesses and food contamination, according to climate change and public health experts.... Read More >>
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has delayed enforcement of partd of the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program and Medicaid reimbursement rules for outpatient drugs. The rule took effect April 1, but certain provisions won't be enforced until July 1. ... Read More >>
Recent member news from the April 7, 2016 Weekly Report.... Read More >>
Success in health care relies a balance of risks and rewards. Controlling risk tied to waste stream management is critical to because it affects every department — often without a single source of accountability. The best way to achieve a compliant and safe system is to choose a savvy, trusted partner to help ensure these waste streams are properly managed and help you navigate the complex laws and regulations.... Read More >>
As of April 1, the Southwest Washington region, containing Clark and Skamania County, is the first to go-live with behavioral health financial integration. This means that physical health services, all levels of mental health services and drug and alcohol treatment are coordinated through managed care plans.... Read More >>
The Washington State Legislature has reached agreement on a supplemental budget, bringing the 2016 state legislative session to a close. Overall, WSHA is very pleased with the results of this year’s session. The budget is very good for hospitals and health systems, provides significant new funding for mental health and makes no significant cuts to hospitals or health care. Additionally, important funding was provided to implement many of the WSHA-supported policy bills.... Read More >>
