News

The final rule for payment of early obstetrical deliveries adopted by the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) includes protections requested by WSHA for patients and providers. The rule is intended to deny Medicaid payment for early elective deliveries. The final rule allows payment for deliveries prior to 39 weeks if the early delivery is medically necessary.... Read More >>

On November 1, the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) reduced inpatient and outpatient hospital payments to prospective payment hospitals by 8 percent in order to apply budget neutrality adjustments due to the recent rebasing of the payment systems. In response to this significant change in Medicaid rates, WSHA requested HCA and its consultant, Navigant, review the calculations and provide WSHA with data sets to enable an independent analysis.... Read More >>

Recognizing the continuing need for involuntary inpatient mental health services, the state Legislature funded $32 million in the 2015-2017 budget for capital grants to assist with construction or renovation for inpatient and crisis mental health services.... Read More >>

WSHA hosted a webinar Nov. 23 on important information about development of a standard financial assistance application form and standard financial assistance communication plan for Washington State hospitals. Please contact Cliff Duggan if you are interested in receiving a copy of the recorded webinar. You can reach Cliff at CliffD@wsha.org or (206) 216-2517. WSHA recommends every hospital review this the application and communication plan. These documents are still in draft form, and WSHA welcomes feedback by Dec. 1.... Read More >>

On Jan. 1, 2015 the Washington State Department of Health launched a planning effort to create a state-level structure for clinical engagement on issues related to Crisis Standards of Care during an emergency of state-level importance. The need for regional medical surge planning that incorporates the ability to implement regional crisis standards of care is recognized by many local, state and federal agencies.... Read More >>

After several years of frustration and advocacy, hospitals should soon see meaningful reform to the Recover Audit Contractor (RAC) program. Effective January 1, the amount of audit requests RACs will be able to request for a hospital will be reduced by three-fourths, from 2.0 percent down to 0.5 percent of the hospital’s paid Medicare claims from the previous year.... Read More >>

The Health Care Authority recently sent Prospective Payment System (PPS) hospitals notices of new Medicaid inpatient and outpatient payment rates, effective November 1. These changes are due to state calculations to ensure budget neutrality. ... Read More >>

The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) is beginning the process of updating the Medicaid payment methodology for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics. HCA is in the final stages of contracting with a technical assistance consultant to work with stakeholders to develop a successor to the current alternative payment methodology (APM).... Read More >>

On November 16, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized its rule concerning payment of hip and knee replacements for hospitals in selected regions. The new program goes into effect April 1, 2016 and will affect hospitals in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro metropolitan service areas that provide hip and knee replacement surgery.... Read More >>

This bulletin provides information on two financial assistance documents that WSHA will recommend every hospital adopt. WSHA intends to recommend that all hospitals adopt the standard financial assistance application and communication plan once these documents are finalized and approved by the WSHA Board. These documents focus on the patient-facing portions of the financial assistance process and do not dictate the levels of financial assistance offered at individual hospitals.... Read More >>