WSHA staff and members traveled to Washington, D.C., the week of April 22 to attend the American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Meeting and meet with members of our state’s congressional delegation. Thirteen members representing eight hospitals and health systems made the trip, meeting with Rep. Kim Schrier, Sen. Maria Cantwell and staff from Sen. Patty Murray’s office.
Our top advocacy issues on this trip included cybersecurity and impacts from the Change Healthcare cyberattack, challenges with Medicare Advantage plans, workforce and rural health care issues, including WSHA’s request for funding to support labor and delivery simulation training for rural hospitals.
Meeting with our lawmakers is crucial to telling the hospital story and conveying the challenges hospitals face. Thank you to members from Jefferson Healthcare, Olympic Medical Center, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, MultiCare Health System, Providence, Kittitas Valley Health, PeaceHealth and UW Medicine for joining us!
Sincerely,
Jacqueline Barton True
WSHA Vice President, Advocacy and Rural Health
jacquelineb@wsha.org