Gov. Jay Inslee today signed House Bill 1427 to enact several recommendations made by the King County Heroin and Opioid Task Force. The bill will help cities and counties across the state confront the epidemic by lowering barriers to treatment and reducing wait lists for treatment. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Eileen Cody, will give health care providers more information about their prescribing practices to boost the use of best practices.... Read More >>

The state’s leading organizations representing nurses and hospitals today applauded Governor Jay Inslee’s signing of the Patient Safety Act, a collaborative effort to strengthen nurse staffing committees and staffing plans for nurses in hospitals across the state.... Read More >>

Five organizations that represent Washington State’s largest health care delivery systems, physicians and providers are united in their disappointment with the passage of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) by the House of Representatives. All believe the bill will harm their patients and the state’s health care system and are committed to working with the Senate to defeat or significantly modify the bill in line with their principle of preserving coverage... Read More >>

“We were glad to see the House of Representatives make the decision to not move the American Health Care Act forward," said Chris Bandoli, Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Government Affairs for the Washington State Hospital Association. "This bill would have forced millions of Americans to lose their health insurance and would have made health coverage more expensive and less attainable to millions more.... Read More >>

Five organizations that represent Washington State's largest health care delivery systems, physicians and providers are stating their opposition to the American Health Care Act. The Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA), Washington State Medical Association (WSMA), Washington Association of Community and Migrant Health Centers (WACMHC), and the Community Health Network of Washington (CHNW), along with its subsidiary non-profit managed care company, Community Health Plan of Washington (CHPW), are calling on Congress to reject the House proposal that puts their patients at risk. Collectively, these groups represent 107 hospitals, 267 clinics, 10,000 physicians and other providers, 315,000 members, and more than 17 million patient visits a year statewide.... Read More >>

Although thousands of people in Washington have recently gained access to health coverage with Medicaid expansion, many families still struggle with large hospital bills as a result of significant injuries and illnesses. State law requires all hospitals provide charity care to help eliminate or reduce those hospital bills. Recently, patient advocates alerted lawmakers and the state hospital association to a stumbling block— patients were confused about the availability of charity care and the forms used to determine if a patient qualifies.... Read More >>

During this year’s budget-writing legislative session, WSHA will be focused on preserving access to care for the more than 700,000 people who received coverage, as well as ensuring that safety net health care programs are meeting the needs of our communities. Continuing the work of the last several years, WSHA will be actively supporting legislation to improve the state’s mental health system.... Read More >>

Following a nationwide search, the Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) announced today that it will welcome Chris Bandoli as its new senior vice president for policy and advocacy. Bandoli — who has been with Regence BlueShield since 2007, serving as director of government affairs for the last 5 years — will begin work with the association later this month, filling the spot previously held by Executive Vice President and incoming President and CEO Cassie Sauer.... Read More >>

SEATTLE – Gregg Davidson, who served Skagit Valley Hospital and Skagit Regional Health for 37 years, was awarded the prestigious Joe Hopkins Memorial Award for outstanding leadership by the Washington State Hospital Association in Seattle on October 14.... Read More >>

The Washington State Hospital Association honored hospitals with awards recognizing their efforts to achieve high quality care and demonstrate community health leadership during the association’s annual meeting on Oct. 14, 2016, at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront. The Achieving Best Care award and Community Health Leadership award are among the association’s highest honors awarded to health care organizations in Washington state.... Read More >>