| 2023-wsma-legislative-summit-features-panel-discussion-on-state-of-abortion-care | 2023 WSMA Legislative Summit Features Panel Discussion on State of Abortion Care | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2023/january-27/2023-wsma-legislative-summit-features-panel-discussion-on-state-of-abortion-care | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2023/january/2023-leg-summit-graphic-keiser-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="2023 Legislative Summit logo" /></div>
<h5>January 27, 2023</h5>
<h2>2023 WSMA Legislative Summit Features Panel Discussion on State of Abortion Care </h2>
<p>At the WSMA Legislative Summit next Friday, Feb. 3, we'll check in on the many legislative proposals regarding access to abortion currently being debated in Olympia during a robust panel discussion on the state of abortion care in Washington. Our guest panelists include Senator Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines), Nari Heshmati, MD, WSMA president elect and OB-GYN, and Courtney Normand, Planned Parenthood state director.</p>
<p>Protecting access to abortion and reproductive care is one of the priority legislative and budget items highlighted at this year's Legislative Summit. Other priorities include across-the-board Medicaid reimbursement rate increases, standardizing the prior authorization process, and preventing inappropriate scope-of-practice increases. If you are passionate about direct advocacy or have been looking for ways to engage with the work of the WSMA, next Friday's Summit is a great opportunity to come to Olympia, learn more about WSMA's legislative agenda, and help deliver our advocacy message directly to your elected representatives. The free event begins at 8 a.m. in the Columbia Room of the Legislative Building at 416 Sid Snyder Avenue SW, Olympia, WA 98504. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided. <a href="[@]wsma/events/legislative_summit/wsma/events/wsma_legislative_summit/Legislative_Summit.aspx?hkey=795731a5-79ba-45b0-b78b-b9dfbfc336e5&amp;_zs=A3aFd1&amp;_zl=soFk8">Register for the event online</a>.</p>
</div> | 1/26/2023 12:24:15 PM | 1/25/2023 3:47:23 PM | 1/27/2023 12:00:00 AM |
| action-alert-on-medicaid-reimbursement | Action Alert on Medicaid Reimbursement | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2023/january-27/action-alert-on-medicaid-reimbursement | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2023/january/megaphone-evergreen-645x425px.jpeg" class="pull-right" alt="megaphone illustration" /></div>
<h5>January 27, 2023</h5>
<h2>Action Alert on Medicaid Reimbursement</h2>
<p>The WSMA is committed to focusing on the one of the biggest funding challenges faced by physicians and health care practitioners: Medicaid payment rates that do not come close to covering the cost of care and do not support access to care for the most vulnerable. During the 2023 legislative session now underway in Olympia, the WSMA is asking the Washington State Legislature to support an increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates for professional services to the equivalent paid by Medicare, adjusting to inflation moving forward. The estimated fiscal impact for the 2023-25 biennium is $200.4 million in state general funds, leveraging a more than 2-to-1 federal match for an overall investment of $634.8 million.</p>
<p>This week, we sent an action alert to WSMA members to encourage grassroots advocacy on this issue. It's imperative that lawmakers hear directly from members of the physician community on how these funds will affect their ability to practice good medicine and provide patient care. If you haven't yet responded to the call to action, please take a moment to contact your legislators. <a href="https://www.votervoice.net/WSMA/Campaigns/99646/Respond">Visit the WSMA's new Action Center to send your message</a>.</p>
</div> | 1/26/2023 12:30:54 PM | 1/26/2023 12:30:25 PM | 1/27/2023 12:00:00 AM |
| apply-now-to-attend-the-physician-leadership-course-this-spring | Apply Now to Attend the Physician Leadership Course this Spring | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2023/january-27/apply-now-to-attend-the-physician-leadership-course-this-spring | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2023/january/2023-plc-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="WSMA Physician Leadership Course logo" /></div>
<h5>January 27, 2023</h5>
<h2>Apply Now to Attend the Physician Leadership Course this SpringHybrid distance, March 3-May 12, 2023</h2>
<p>The WSMA Physician Leadership Course, led by Ed Walker, MD, MHA, is an 11-week hybrid-distance leadership skills-development course for physicians and physician assistants who want to know more about health care leadership. Designed with a physician's busy schedule in mind, only three in-person classes, held at the Silver Cloud Hotel in Seattle, are required; the remainder of the course is conducted online. </p>
<p>In-person sessions will be held Friday and Saturday, March 3 and 4, followed by 11 weeks of online instruction and interaction and a final in-person session on Friday, May 12. The course is led by Edward A. Walker, MD, MHA, professor emeritus in the departments of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and health services at the University of Washington in Seattle. Dr. Walker is the senior advisor for WSMA's Center for Leadership Development.</p>
<p>For a course curriculum and application details, visit the <a href="[@]wsma/education/physician_leadership/physician_leadership_course/wsma/physician_leadership/physician_leadership_course/physician_leadership_course.aspx?hkey=efdc4ad1-ff20-4089-ab51-caafbe73572b">WSMA Physician Leadership Course</a> webpage, and learn more about other courses from WSMA's <a href="[@]wsma/education/physician_leadership/wsma/physician_leadership/physician_leadership.aspx?hkey=4a910f13-3bb1-4b95-853f-6f93e33637d2">Center for Leadership Development</a>. This activity has been approved for <em>AMA PRA Category 1 Credit</em>â„¢<em>.</em> </p>
</div> | 1/26/2023 12:33:20 PM | 1/26/2023 12:32:52 PM | 1/27/2023 12:00:00 AM |
| hpv-vaccine-now-recommended-at-age-9 | HPV Vaccine Now Recommended at Age 9 | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2023/january-27/hpv-vaccine-now-recommended-at-age-9 | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2023/january/istock-1296415706-645x425px.jpeg" class="pull-right" alt="Physician talking with masked patients" /></div>
<h5>January 27, 2023</h5>
<h2>HPV Vaccine Now Recommended at Age 9</h2>
<p>The Washington State Immunization Information System updated its guidance, beginning Jan. 20, to reflect the recommendation to administer the human papillomavirus vaccine starting at age 9. This change signals an important step in increasing HPV vaccination coverage across the state of Washington, and follows recommendations by the American Cancer Society, American Academy of Pediatrics, Washington State Vaccine Advisory Committee, and the Washington State Department of Health.</p>
<p>In preparation for this change, we encourage you and your office to create a plan and implement the structural changes needed within your organization to start vaccinating at age 9. <a href="https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2023-01/HPV%20Vaccine%20Forecast.pdf?uid=63cb06e042473">This guide</a> gives a visual representation of how this change is presented in the Washington State Immunization Information System. There are no major differences in the IIS from a user and technical perspective other than the age of the vaccine forecast has changed to 9. HPV vaccines do not need to be entered differently into the IIS than before this forecast update.</p>
<p>To assist in efforts to implement changes needed to start routinely vaccinating at age nine, use the provided list of resources:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://hpvroundtable.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/FINAL_NW-Summit-Clinic-Toolkit-Print-On-Demand-Kits.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Start At 9 Toolkit (hpvroundtable.org)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://hpvroundtable.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/HPV_Roundtable-HPV_Why_Age_9_Sales_Sheet_WEB.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">Why Age 9? Fact Sheet - National HPV Roundtable</a></li>
<li><a href="https://hpvroundtable.org/action-guides/">Clinician &amp; Health Systems Action Guides - National HPV Roundtable</a></li>
<li><a href="https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2022-07/348-612-ProtectChildAgainstViruses-en-L_0.pdf?uid=62e71bb87bc1a">HPV At 9 (DOH)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://doh.wa.gov/sites/default/files/legacy/Documents/Pubs/348-613-HPVVaccinationAlgorithm.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">HPV Vaccination Algorithm (DOH)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/online-documents/en/pdf/flyers/hpv-vacs-just-the-facts-for-providers.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">HPV Provider Fact Sheet (cancer.org)</a></li>
<li><a href="https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/14942/Why-AAP-recommends-initiating-HPV-vaccination-as?searchresult=1">Why AAP recommends initiating HPV vaccination as early as age 9 | American Academy of Pediatrics</a></li>
</ul>
</div> | 1/26/2023 12:32:42 PM | 1/26/2023 12:32:21 PM | 1/27/2023 12:00:00 AM |
| next-health-equity-m-and-m-webinar-is-friday-feb-10 | Next Health Equity M&M Webinar Is Friday, Feb. 10 | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2023/january-27/next-health-equity-m-and-m-webinar-is-friday-feb-10 | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2023/january/mm-equity-webinar-series-2023-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="Health Equity M&amp;M Webinar Series logo" /></div>
<h5>January 27, 2023</h5>
<h2>Next Health Equity M&amp;M Webinar Is Friday, Feb. 10</h2>
<p>For members who haven't yet experienced these rich discussions, please join us for the next Health Equity M&amp;M Webinar on Friday, Feb. 10 at noon, facilitated by Edwin Lindo, JD. The webinar series, free for WSMA members, fosters a space conducive to building a community of professionals focused on achieving health equity, allowing for discussions of charged but necessary topics. Starting with this February session, members will now be able to submit patient cases for discussion. Verbal submission of cases is the safest approach for preserving the confidentiality of the information. If you would like to speak with professor Lindo directly, please email Kendra Peterson at <a href="mailto:kendra@wsma.org">kendra@wsma.org</a>. As an alternative, the WSMA has created a new <a href="http://wsma.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMDkxODM1NiZwPTEmdT0xMDc4MTA4MzYwJmxpPTk5NjQ0NTc3/index.html">online case submission form</a> for you to share patient cases. All case submissions are CQIP and HIPAA compliant. This activity has been approved for <em>AMA PRA Category 1 Credit</em>â„¢. Register for the Feb. 10 webinar <a href="[@]wsma/education/upcoming_webinars/wsma/education/upcoming_webinars/Upcoming_Webinars.aspx?hkey=b760d6bd-1833-412d-b681-babf251792a8">online</a>.</p>
</div> | 1/26/2023 12:25:08 PM | 1/25/2023 3:47:25 PM | 1/27/2023 12:00:00 AM |
| session-update-public-hearings-on-abortion-access-and-prior-authorization-this-week | Session Update: Public Hearings on Abortion Access and Prior Authorization This Week | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2023/january-27/session-update-public-hearings-on-abortion-access-and-prior-authorization-this-week | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2023/january/2023-legislative-session-updates-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="2023 Legislative Session Updates logo" /></div>
<h5>January 27, 2023</h5>
<h2>Session Update: Public Hearings on Abortion Access and Prior Authorization This Week </h2>
<p>Proposed bills on two key WSMA legislative priorities - establishing abortion and reproductive care protections and standardizing prior authorization practices - received public hearings this week as state lawmakers closed out week three of the 105-day legislative session.</p>
<h3>Access to abortion care takes center stage</h3>
<p>A number of bills on the subject of access to abortion received hearings on Tuesday, Jan. 24, including:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=8202&amp;Initiative=false&amp;Year=2023">Senate Joint Resolution 8202</a>, which would enshrine legal access to abortion and contraception in the Washington state constitution, was heard in the Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee.</li>
<li><a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1469&amp;Year=2023&amp;Initiative=false">House Bill 1469</a>, which would establish liability protections for patients and health care professionals from criminal and civil actions based on the provision of abortion care and gender-affirming care services, was heard in the House Civil Rights and Judiciary Committee.</li>
<li><a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1340&amp;Initiative=false&amp;Year=2023">House Bill 1340</a>, which would specify that unprofessional conduct under our state's Uniform Discipline Act does not include the provision of abortion care in a state or for a patient who resides in a state where such services are prohibited for the purpose of Washington state licensure and discipline, was heard in the House Health Care and Wellness Committee. These protections would also extend to gender-affirming care services. HB 1340 is sponsored by Committee Chair Rep. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane.</li>
</ul>
<p>WSMA President Katina Rue, DO, attended the hearings testifying on behalf of the WSMA in support of these proposals. Joining Dr. Rue at the HB 1469 hearing was Sarah Prager, MD, who testified in support on behalf of the Washington Section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Also heard on Tuesday were <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5242&amp;Chamber=Senate&amp;Year=2023">Senate Bill 5242</a>, which would prohibit copays, deductibles, and other cost-sharing requirements on abortion services, and <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5489&amp;Initiative=false&amp;Year=2023">Senate Bill 5489</a>, the companion bill to HB 1469 establishing liability protections.</p>
<h3>Prioritizing prior authorization reform</h3>
<p>On Wednesday, WSMA priority legislation <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1357&amp;Year=2023&amp;Initiative=false">House Bill 1357</a> concerning prior authorization was the subject of a public hearing in the House Health Care and Wellness Committee. Sponsored by Rep. Tarra Simmons, D-Bremerton and brought forward by the WSMA, HB 1357 would limit the utilization of prior authorization where codes are approved at exceedingly high rates and standardize requirements across insurance carriers. The WSMA testified in support.</p>
<h3>In previous weeks: Scope of practice and gun violence</h3>
<p>Of particular note, <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1041&amp;Year=2023&amp;Initiative=false">House Bill 1041</a>, which would grant prescriptive authority to psychologists under certain circumstances, was heard in the House Health Care and Wellness Committee on Jan. 11. The WSMA testified in opposition as <a href="[@]wsma/advocacy/legislative_regulatory/issue-briefs/scope-of-practice-efforts.aspx">per policy opposing scope efforts by nonphysician practitioners without commensurate training to ensure patient safety</a>. The second week of session saw several high-profile hearings on firearm legislation. The WSMA has a variety of relevant policy and supports legislation to reduce firearm violence, including the proposed assault weapons ban, <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1240&amp;Year=2023&amp;Initiative=false">House Bill 1240</a>.</p>
<h3>For more detailed session updates</h3>
<p>For weekly session updates with greater details on bills being debated in Olympia, WSMA members may subscribe to the WSMA Outreach &amp; Advocacy Report by emailing Chelsea Thumberg at <a href="mailto:chelsea@wsma.org">chelsea@wsma.org</a>. </p>
<p>And don't forget: If you are passionate about direct advocacy, come to <a href="[@]wsma/events/legislative_summit/wsma/events/wsma_legislative_summit/Legislative_Summit.aspx?hkey=795731a5-79ba-45b0-b78b-b9dfbfc336e5">Olympia on Feb. 3 for the 2023 WSMA Legislative Summit</a> and join your like-minded colleagues and peers from across the state as we take our advocacy message directly to legislators.</p>
</div> | 1/26/2023 10:26:15 PM | 1/25/2023 3:47:08 PM | 1/27/2023 12:00:00 AM |
| updated-washington-practitioner-application-supports-physician-well-being | Updated Washington Practitioner Application Supports Physician Well-Being | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2023/january-27/updated-washington-practitioner-application-supports-physician-well-being | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2023/january/smiling-docs-645x425px.jpeg" class="pull-right" alt="smiling doctors" /></div>
<h5>January 27, 2023</h5>
<h2>Updated Licensing and Credentialing Applications Support Physician Well-Being</h2>
<p>The WSMA is pleased to report that physicians and other licensed practitioners will now benefit from newly updated licensing and credentialing forms in Washington state. These widely used forms have been revised with input from the physician community, and reflect a growing awareness of the barriers to wellness that medical licensing and credentialing insurance applications were creating for physicians and practitioners. </p>
<h3>Updated Washington Practitioner Application&nbsp;</h3>
<p>This month, a streamlined <a href="https://www.wamss.org/resources/washington-credentialing-standardization-group/">Washington Practitioner Application</a>&nbsp;was introduced. The WPA is a standardized application that is accepted by most physician organizations, hospitals, and health plans and throughout the state. Changes to the application include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Updated attestation question regarding a practitioner's physical and mental health conditions. After years of discussions and input from numerous organizations, the credentialing committee overseeing the form revisions settled on a more streamlined question that still meets regulatory agency requirements to inquire about a practitioner's mental health status.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>A new section that asks for contact details for the monitoring program the practitioner is enrolled in but does not ask for any details around the condition or circumstances that led to being admitted into the monitoring program or the practitioner's current status with the monitoring program. This ensures that no practitioner PHI ends up on the WPA.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Washington licensing applications newly updated</h3>
<p>The Washington Medical Commission has updated its <a href="https://wmc.wa.gov/licensing/applications-and-forms">licensing questions</a> to remove potentially invasive or stigmatizing language around mental health. The commission changed the question to an attestation and provided information about the Washington Physicians Health Program. These new updates follow changes in 2019 removing the requirement for applicants to disclose mental health or substance use disorder information resulting from new "safe haven" provisions.
</p>
<p>The WSMA gives special thanks to Washington Physicians Health Program Executive Medical Director Chris Bundy, MD, MPH, a strong physician advocate who helped provide guidance to both the Washington Medical Commission and the credentialing standardization committee on the changes to these forms.</p>
<p>These combined changes represent significant progress in decreasing barriers to help-seeking for physicians and physician assistants in our state and furthers WSMA's vision to make Washington the best place to practice medicine and receive care.</p>
</div> | 1/26/2023 4:29:41 PM | 1/25/2023 3:47:14 PM | 1/27/2023 12:00:00 AM |
| apply-to-serve-on-the-board-of-osteopathic-medicine-and-surgery | Apply to Serve on the Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2023/apply-to-serve-on-the-board-of-osteopathic-medicine-and-surgery | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2023/january/stethoscope-on-table-645x425px.jpeg" class="pull-right" alt="stethoscope laying on top of a wooden table" /></div>
<h5>January 13, 2022</h5>
<h2>Apply to Serve on the Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery</h2>
<p>The Washington State Department of Health's Health Systems Quality Assurance Division is accepting applications to fill three vacancies on the Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery. DOH is seeking osteopath candidates with diverse backgrounds and those who provide geographic representation throughout the state willing to study the issues and make decisions in the public's best interest. For details of the roles and responsibilities, visit the <a href="https://doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/professions-new-renew-or-update/osteopathic-physician-and-surgeon">board's information webpage</a>. To apply, use the <a href="https://govforms.dynamics365portals.us/application-form/">governor's application webpage</a>, selecting that you are applying for the Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery, and include a current résumé along with the application.</p>
</div> | 1/12/2023 2:50:53 PM | 1/10/2023 3:18:07 PM | 1/13/2023 12:00:00 AM |
| cme-embed-the-covid-19-vaccine-into-your-practice-workflow | CME: Embed the COVID-19 Vaccine Into Your Practice Workflow | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2023/cme-embed-the-covid-19-vaccine-into-your-practice-workflow | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2023/january/covid-vaccines-doh-webinars-ondemand-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" /></div>
<h5>January 13, 2022</h5>
<h2>CME: Embed the COVID-19 Vaccine Into Your Practice Workflow</h2>
<p> If your practice or clinic does not yet offer the COVID-19 vaccine as part of its routine preventive care, the WSMA can help.</p>
<p>The WSMA has joined with the Washington State Department of Health to give physician practices and clinics the tools and information they need to incorporate the COVID-19 vaccines into their practice workflows and engage patients in conversations about the vaccine. This activity has been approved for <em>AMA PRA Category 1 Credit</em>â„¢.</p>
<p>The two-part WSMA/DOH COVID-19 Vaccines Webinar Series meets the following learning objectives:</p>
<h3>Strategies to Discuss the COVID-19 Vaccine with Your Most Reluctant Patients</h3>
<ul>
<li>Use effective strategies to engage patients in conversations about the COVID-19 vaccine by addressing their questions, fears, and concerns.</li>
<li>Review real-world examples of how to discuss the pediatric and adult vaccines, as well as booster vaccines.</li>
<li>Outline the key elements of Power of Provider (POP) and the resources included in the toolkit.</li>
</ul>
<h3>How to Embed COVID-19 Vaccines into Routine Preventive Care</h3>
<ul>
<li>Bill for COVID-19 vaccine counseling and administration.</li>
<li>Access small, more manageable quantities of COVID-19 vaccines from vaccine depots across the state.</li>
<li>Join the more than 65,000 Washington physicians, PAs, and health care professionals who have already committed to educating and empowering their patients to vaccinate.</li>
<li>Leverage the physician toolkit and public-facing resources to help protect the health and well-being of your community.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="[@]wsma/education/on_demand_webinars/covid-19-vaccines-webinar-series.aspx">Begin CME activity</a>.</p>
</div> | 1/12/2023 3:00:25 PM | 1/10/2023 3:18:04 PM | 1/13/2023 12:00:00 AM |
| health-equity-m-and-m-webinars-to-continue-in-2023 | Health Equity M&M Webinars to Continue in 2023 | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2023/health-equity-m-and-m-webinars-to-continue-in-2023 | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2023/january/mm-equity-webinar-series-2023-645x425px.png" class="pull-right" alt="Health Equity M&amp;M Webinar Series logo" /></div>
<h5>January 13, 2022</h5>
<h2>Health Equity M&amp;M Webinars to Continue in 2023 </h2>
<p>The WSMA and the WSMA Foundation are pleased to announce the Health Equity M&amp;M Webinar Series will continue through 2023. Member registrations from last year will be carried over to this year, and members can use the same Zoom link as before to join each of the sessions. For members who haven't yet experienced these rich discussions, please join us for the next session on Friday, Feb. 10 at noon. The sessions are free, CME is available, and beginning this year, members will be able to submit patient cases for discussion.</p>
<h3>About the Health Equity M&amp;M Webinar</h3>
<p>Every other month, the WSMA and WSMA Foundation host health equity M&amp;M discussions (think "morbidity and mortality," but with a focus on health equity), to help provide a framework for conversations in which attendees are encouraged to recognize and examine biases and identify the ways systemic racism exists in our organizations. The series fosters a space conducive to building a community of professionals focused on achieving health equity, allowing for discussions of charged but necessary topics. Each webinar is protected under WSMA's coordinated quality improvement program (CQIP).</p>
<p>During each webinar, Edwin Lindo, JD, facilitates case-based discussions. Lindo is the assistant dean of social and health justice in the Office of Healthcare Equity, an associate teaching professor in the department of family medicine, and an adjunct associate teaching professor in the department of bioethics and humanities at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He teaches, presents, and writes on issues of race and racism within the field of medicine and greater society.</p>
<h3>New for 2023: How to submit a patient case for discussion</h3>
<p>WSMA members may now submit patient cases to discuss at a Health Equity M&amp;M session. Verbal submission of cases is the safest approach for preserving the confidentiality of the information. If you would like to speak with Professor Lindo directly, please email Kendra Peterson at <a href="mailto:kendra@wsma.org">kendra@wsma.org</a>. As an alternative, the WSMA has created a new <a href="https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=CgN5_wMfNU66xEvN3PBcAIl040VJfZtFmgd6Gl6BR-NUOVhWSlJaWVAyODJTUE9UVFVUTjc0ODZFUS4u">online case submission form</a> for you to share patient cases. All case submissions are CQIP and HIPAA compliant.</p>
<p>Register for the webinar <a href="[@]Shared_Content/Events/Event_Display.aspx?eventkey=hlthequimm">online</a> (members only; sign-in required). This activity has been approved for <em>AMA PRA Category 1 Credit</em>â„¢.</p>
</div> | 1/12/2023 2:41:24 PM | 1/10/2023 3:17:55 PM | 1/13/2023 12:00:00 AM |
| launch-your-leadership-journey-with-the-physician-leadership-course | Launch Your Leadership Journey with the Physician Leadership Course | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2023/launch-your-leadership-journey-with-the-physician-leadership-course | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2023/january/physician-leader-645x425px.jpeg" class="pull-right" alt="physician speaking to health care team" /></div>
<h5>January 13, 2022</h5>
<h2>Launch Your Leadership Journey with the Physician Leadership Course </h2>
<p>The WSMA Physician Leadership Course, led by Ed Walker, MD, MHA, is an 11-week hybrid-distance leadership skills-development course for physicians and physician assistants who want to know more about health care leadership.</p>
<p>Without core leadership competencies-skills not taught in medical school-physicians may find themselves unprepared and overburdened with unexpected responsibilities in their careers-a recipe for burnout. The WSMA Physician Leadership Course helps physicians develop the skills they need to thrive professionally in today's health care environment, regardless of the type or size of their organization.</p>
<p>The hybrid-distance course combines face-to-face and online learning to enable participants to begin developing and honing their leadership skills at their convenience. Designed with a physician's busy schedule in mind, only three in-person classes, held at the Silver Cloud Hotel in Seattle, are required; the remainder of the course is conducted online. </p>
<p>In-person sessions will be held Friday and Saturday, March 3 and 4, followed by 11 weeks of online instruction and interaction and a final in-person session on Friday, May 12. The course is led by Edward A. Walker, MD, MHA, professor emeritus in the departments of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and health services at the University of Washington in Seattle. Dr. Walker is the senior advisor for WSMA's Center for Leadership Development.</p>
<p>If you're ready to start your leadership journey, find out more about the <a href="[@]wsma/education/physician_leadership/physician_leadership_course/wsma/physician_leadership/physician_leadership_course/physician_leadership_course.aspx?hkey=efdc4ad1-ff20-4089-ab51-caafbe73572b">WSMA Physician Leadership Course</a> and other courses from WSMA's <a href="[@]wsma/education/physician_leadership/wsma/physician_leadership/physician_leadership.aspx?hkey=4a910f13-3bb1-4b95-853f-6f93e33637d2">Center for Leadership Development</a>. </p>
</div> | 1/12/2023 3:01:46 PM | 1/12/2023 3:01:03 PM | 1/13/2023 12:00:00 AM |
| scholarships-available-for-2023-leadership-development-conference | Scholarships Available for 2023 Leadership Development Conference | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2023/scholarships-available-for-2023-leadership-development-conference | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2023/january/2022-ldc-campbells-lake-645x425px.jpeg" class="pull-right" alt="Campbell's Resort on Lake Chelan" /></div>
<h5>January 13, 2022</h5>
<h2>Scholarships Available for 2023 Leadership Development Conference </h2>
<p>The WSMA Leadership Development Conference is scheduled for May 19-20, 2023 at Campbell's Resort on Lake Chelan. This year's theme is on building strong teams, with a focus on wellness, diversity, and sustainability. The WSMA will offer up to five scholarships to members who have been identified as future leaders in medicine. </p>
<p>Scholarships cover registration fees, event meals, and lodging for two nights in one standard room. Travel to and from the conference is not covered by the scholarship. To be eligible for a scholarship, applicants must:</p>
<ul>
<li>Be a member of the WSMA in 2023.</li>
<li>Have not attended a WSMA Leadership Development Conference before.</li>
<li>Submit a complete application by Wednesday, Jan. 25.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Help us identify tomorrow's leaders</h3>
<p>Please encourage your WSMA member colleagues who may benefit from participating in this year's conference to apply for a scholarship. The scholarship application form is <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2023LDCScholarship">available online</a>. The WSMA Executive Committee will select up to five scholarship recipients at its February meeting, with preference given to early career applicants (e.g., students, residents, fellows, those under 40, and those in their first 10 years of practice).</p>
<p>The one-and-a-half-day Leadership Development Conference is designed for physicians at all levels of leadership experience and their health care teams, providing practical information and skills that can be used in any setting-at work, in the community, or in organized medicine. The conference presents an excellent opportunity for physicians seeking leadership positions in their career, regardless of the type or size of their organization or practice.</p>
<p>Please save the dates and encourage all physicians involved in a leadership capacity in your organization to attend. Contact Brendan Cox at 206.956.3625 or <a href="mailto:brendan@wsma.org">brendan@wsma.org</a> if you have any questions.</p>
</div> | 1/12/2023 3:29:57 PM | 1/12/2023 3:17:40 PM | 1/13/2023 12:00:00 AM |
| wsma-highlights-medicaid-and-prior-authorization-priorities-as-legislative-session-gets-unde | WSMA Highlights Medicaid and Prior Authorization Priorities as Legislative Session Gets Unde | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2023/wsma-highlights-medicaid-and-prior-authorization-priorities-as-legislative-session-gets-unde | <div class="col-md-12">
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<h5>January 13, 2022</h5>
<h2>WSMA Highlights Medicaid and Prior Authorization Priorities as Legislative Session Gets Underway</h2>
<p>The 2023 state legislative session began this Monday. The primary responsibility for the Legislature during the 105-day long session will be to negotiate a two-year budget to fund the state's operating expenses, and, as with every session, hundreds of legislative policy proposals will be under consideration by lawmakers.</p>
<p>While the WSMA will engage on a variety of issues impacting the house of medicine, our priority fiscal and policy issues as determined by member feedback are as follows:</p>
<p>Budget priorities:</p>
<ul>
<li>Across-the-board Medicaid reimbursement rate increases.</li>
<li>Health care workforce, system capacity, and physician residency funding.</li>
<li>Foundational Public Health Services.</li>
<li>Taxes.</li>
</ul>
<p>Legislative priorities:</p>
<ul>
<li>Standardizing the prior authorization process.</li>
<li>Ensuring access to abortion and reproductive health care services.</li>
<li>Preventing numerous inappropriate scope-of-practice increases.</li>
<li>Addressing gun violence.</li>
</ul>
<p>In anticipation of session, the WSMA turned to the <a href="[@]Shared_Content/News/Press_Release/2022/access-to-care-will-continue-to-diminish-in-washington-without-intervention-new-survey-reveals">media</a> to begin making the case for its top two fiscal and policy priorities. In <a href="https://www.yakimaherald.com/opinion/guest-commentary-washington-legislators-must-prioritize-medicaid-funding/article_e1cb5f20-7a87-11ed-9a88-77d5a78d2c84.html">editorials</a> and <a href="https://komonews.com/news/local/washington-state-hospital-association-wsha-cut-services-financial-losses-bed-revenue-survey-cardiac-cancer-emergency-department">earned</a> <a href="https://app.criticalmention.com/app/#clip/view/d184d7de-e6ba-42f5-a000-61c57500c9aa?token=fb894da5-a101-41e8-b8a5-82a8fe619df6">media</a>, the WSMA has highlighted how low Medicaid reimbursement and health plan prior authorizations result in barriers to care for patients and further strain outpatient practices struggling with workforce shortages, inflation, ongoing disruptions of the pandemic, and now a <a href="[@]Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2022/december-23/omnibus-bill-in-congress-includes-2-percent-medicare-physician-payment-cut">2% reduction in Medicare reimbursement</a>.</p>
<p>The WSMA will be engaging a full-court press to advocate for these two priorities throughout session. We will keep members apprised of developments and opportunities for engagement. For weekly session updates delivered to your inbox, members may subscribe to the WSMA Outreach &amp; Advocacy Report, published weekly, by emailing Alex Wehinger at <a href="mailto:alex@wsma.org">alex@wsma.org</a>. If you are passionate about direct advocacy, come to <a href="[@]wsma/events/legislative_summit/wsma/events/wsma_legislative_summit/Legislative_Summit.aspx?hkey=795731a5-79ba-45b0-b78b-b9dfbfc336e5">Olympia on Feb. 3 for the 2023 WSMA Legislative Summit</a> and join your like-minded colleagues and peers from across the state as we take our advocacy message directly to legislators.</p>
</div> | 1/12/2023 3:08:24 PM | 1/12/2023 3:02:35 PM | 1/13/2023 12:00:00 AM |
| medical-assistant-flexibilities-extended-to-flu-tests-and-vaccines | Medical Assistant Flexibilities Extended to Flu Tests and Vaccines | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2022/december-30/medical-assistant-flexibilities-extended-to-flu-tests-and-vaccines | <div class="col-md-12">
<h5>December 30, 2022</h5>
<h2>Medical Assistant Flexibilities Extended to Flu Tests and Vaccines </h2>
<p>As a result of WSMA advocacy, Secretary of Health Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH, has issued a <a href="https://wsma.informz.net/WSMA/data/images/Attachments/PREP_Act_Authorization_Medical_Assistants_Tests_COVID_and_Flu_Vaccines_Final%20(003).pdf">Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act authorization</a> to allow individuals with a medical assistant-certified or medical assistant-registered license to administer, without the on-site, physical presence of their supervising physician or practitioner, COVID-19 and influenza tests and vaccines as well as the products for treating or preventing serious conditions from their administration. With these flexibilities in place, practices and health systems may organize to reduce pressure on emergency departments and physician offices by, for example, establishing drive-through testing and vaccine sites like we saw earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic. The WSMA extends its gratitude to Secretary Shah for these latest flexibilities and will keep members apprised of further developments.</p>
</div> | 1/6/2023 12:20:51 PM | 1/3/2023 4:54:55 PM | 12/30/2022 12:00:00 AM |
| 2022-mips-hardship-exception-application-due-jan-3 | 2022 MIPS Hardship Exception Application Due Jan. 3 | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2022/december-23/2022-mips-hardship-exception-application-due-jan-3 | <div class="col-md-12">
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<h5>December 23, 2022</h5>
<h2>2022 MIPS Hardship Exception Application Due Jan. 3 </h2>
<p>The deadline to submit a 2022 MIPS extreme and uncontrollable circumstances exception application is Jan. 3, 2023. We are concerned that practices that need the relief will miss the opportunity to file a MIPS exception application with the upcoming holidays as well as continued COVID and staffing disruptions. The American Medical Association has requested that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services once again automatically apply the exception for 2022 MIPS reporting, or, at a minimum, extend the deadline until the end of the 2022 data submission period, which is March 2023. If the policy changes to provide additional relief from MIPS, we will keep you apprised.</p>
<p>In the interim, physicians who are interested in requesting an extreme and uncontrollable circumstances exception and avoiding a 2024 payment adjustment <a href="https://qpp.cms.gov/mips/exception-applications?py=2022#extremeCircumstancesException-2022:~:text=reasons%20identified%20below.-,Extreme%20and%20Uncontrollable%20Circumstances%20Exception,-MIPS%20eligible%20clinicians">may do so until 5 p.m. PT on Jan. 3, 2023</a>. If you believe you've been affected by an extreme and uncontrollable circumstance (such as the public health emergency triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic), you can apply whether reporting <a href="https://qpp.cms.gov/mips/traditional-mips?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_id=newsletter_december2022&amp;utm_content=tradmips">traditional MIPS</a> or the <a href="https://qpp.cms.gov/mips/apm-performance-pathway?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_id=newsletter_december2022&amp;utm_content=app">APM Performance Pathway</a>.</p>
</div> | 12/22/2022 2:38:17 PM | 12/20/2022 2:31:41 PM | 12/23/2022 12:00:00 AM |
| doh-notifiable-conditions-reporting-update | DOH Notifiable Conditions Reporting Update | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2022/december-23/doh-notifiable-conditions-reporting-update | <div class="col-md-12">
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<h5>December 23, 2022</h5>
<!-- **************************NEW ARTICLE****************************** -->
<h2>DOH Notifiable Conditions Reporting Update </h2>
<p>The Washington State Department of Health's Office of Infectious Disease shared upcoming changes to notifiable conditions reporting, which will be implemented starting Jan. 1, 2023. </p>
<h3>Report rapid screening test results </h3>
<p>WAC 426-101-200 states an individual or entity including, but not limited to, health care professionals, and health care facilities and community organizations, that conducts rapid screening tests for certain conditions (blood lead level testing, hepatitis C (acute and chronic infection), and HIV infection, or COVID-19) meets the definition of a laboratory under the chapter and must fulfill the reporting requirement outlined in WAC 246-101-201 through 246-101-230. </p>
<h3>Report deidentified negative results </h3>
<p>All laboratories, including those entities falling under the above definition for rapid screening test result reporting, must report deidentified negative screening results for chlamydia trachomatis, hepatitis C virus, HIV, Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonorrhea), and treponema pallidum (syphilis). In the context of this section of rule, "deidentified negative screening result" means an initial test result that indicates the absence of diseases and that has personally identifiable information removed from it in alignment with HIPAA. See WAC 246-101-201 for more information. </p>
<h3>Report race, ethnicity, and preferred language </h3>
<p>Health care professionals and facilities, laboratories, and local health jurisdictions must report patient race, ethnicity, and preferred language information with each case of a notifiable condition. Patient's REaL data must be identified by the patient and reported using categories defined in the rule. Among the numerous changes in the <a href="https://doh.wa.gov/public-health-healthcare-providers/notifiable-conditions/rule-making/rule-revision-implementation">Notifiable Conditions Rule Revision Implementation</a> is the addition of patient race, ethnicity, and preferred language (REaL) as required data reporting components, along with defined reporting categories for each. </p>
<p>The addition of patient race, ethnicity, and language (REaL) reporting in Chapter 246-101 WAC is intended to help reveal inequities across and within groups to better understand populations disproportionately impacted by notifiable conditions, to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate services, and to tailor public health strategies for improved effectiveness. These data are instrumental for public health efforts in preventing and controlling communicable diseases and other conditions. </p>
<h3>Understand additional changes to laboratory reporting requirements for HIV and HCV </h3>
<p>In addition to the changes listed above, there are several specific changes to laboratory reporting requirements for HIV and HCV that can be found on the notifiable conditions and laboratories page: <a href="https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=246-101-201">WAC 246-101-201.</a> </p>
<p>The DOH Office of Infectious Disease will be sharing more information via webinars, regular monthly meetings, and additional email communications. For implementation questions email <a href="mailto:oid.notifiableconditions@doh.wa.gov">oid.notifiableconditions@doh.wa.gov</a>. </p>
</div> | 12/22/2022 2:51:20 PM | 12/22/2022 2:51:00 PM | 12/23/2022 12:00:00 AM |
| governor-releases-budget-proposal-for-2023-2025-biennium | Governor Releases Budget Proposal for 2023-2025 Biennium | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2022/december-23/governor-releases-budget-proposal-for-2023-2025-biennium | <div class="col-md-12">
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<h5>December 23, 2022</h5>
<h2>Governor Releases Budget Proposal for 2023-2025 Biennium</h2>
<p>Last week Gov. Jay Inslee released his budget proposal, kicking off negotiations around the next two-year state spending plan and signaling the approach of the legislative session that begins on Jan. 9. Spanning $70 billion in spending, the governor's proposal would increase state spending by around 12% and does not rely on new tax increases. </p>
<p>In announcing his budget, Inslee highlighted proposed investments in housing and homelessness, climate change, and behavioral health, including $50 million to address the opioid epidemic-including funding to support the <a href="https://wsma.org/wsma/resources/opioids/better_prescribing_better_treatment/wsma/resources/opioids/better_prescribing_better_treatment/better_prescribing_better_treatment.aspx?hkey=b6fb0ec0-8bc2-4e53-bf4c-9f148599cbeb">Better Prescribing, Better Treatment</a> program, the joint initiative of the WSMA and the Washington State Hospital Association to inform physicians' prescribing patterns.</p>
<p>The budget aligns with other WSMA priorities, including proposed funding and associated policies to ensure access to abortion services and to address gun violence, and proposed investments in our health care workforce, most notably the creation of 400 new nursing slots and a public health degree program at Washington State University.</p>
<p>Investments are also proposed to support access to health care coverage for undocumented immigrants ($19 million); fund public health and winding down COVID-19 services ($120 million); and to increase capacity in the health care system by raising Medicaid rates for long-term care facilities and facilitating discharge of patients from hospital settings (more than $300 million across multiple appropriations). </p>
<p>State revenues have remained strong in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, yielding around $1.5 billion more than was expected through 2025. Collective bargaining agreements the governor recently struck with state employee unions consumed some of that capacity, however, limiting investments in new programs. One of those agreements stipulates that for care delivered in state employee health plans, ARNPs will be reimbursed at the same rate as physicians. The WSMA has opposed this policy in recent years when it's been proposed as legislation and the collective bargaining agreement represents a potential end-run around the Legislature.</p>
<p>While Gov. Inslee's budget does not raise taxes, it does propose new spending in the form of bonding capacity to support $4 billion in investments in housing and to address homelessness. This would require a referendum to voters. The budget also relies on revenue from the state capital gains tax that was adopted in the 2021 session and is currently the subject of a legal challenge pending the state Supreme Court.</p>
<p>WSMA's top budget priority for the 2023-25 state fiscal cycle is an across-the-board rate increase for professional services delivered in the Medicaid program. Increasing Medicaid rates to Medicare levels would cost the state an estimated $134 million annually, leveraging $290 million in federal funds for a total annual investment of $423 million. While this funding was not included in the governor's budget, we will be advocating for its inclusion in legislative spending plans, which will likely be released in early April and finalized before session is scheduled to adjourn on April 26.</p>
<p>If you're interested in staying plugged in to the WSMA's work in Olympia, you <a href="[@]wsma/events/legislative_summit/wsma/events/wsma_legislative_summit/legislative_summit.aspx?hkey=795731a5-79ba-45b0-b78b-b9dfbfc336e5">can register for the 2023 Legislative Summit</a> taking place on Feb. 3, and receive our weekly Outreach and Advocacy Report by emailing WSMA's Legislative Coordinator Chelsea Thumberg at <a href="mailto:chelsea@wsma.org">chelsea@wsma.org</a>. </p>
</div> | 12/22/2022 2:58:22 PM | 12/22/2022 2:58:00 PM | 12/23/2022 12:00:00 AM |
| l-and-i-payment-policy-updates | L&I Payment Policy Updates | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2022/december-23/l-and-i-payment-policy-updates | <div class="col-md-12">
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<h5>December 23, 2022</h5>
<h2>L&amp;I Payment Policy Updates </h2>
<p>The Department of Labor &amp; Industries has made a few changes to its payment policies. Here are the latest updates: </p>
<ul>
<li>The CPT code updates for January 2023 should be ready by mid-December and will be published as soon as they are available. </li>
<li>The American Medical Association recently made changes to evaluation and management services. L&amp;I is reviewing these changes and will publish updates to its policies in June 2023. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The payment policy has been updated to allow sign language interpreters to provide services remotely. See <a href="https://lni.wa.gov/patient-care/billing-payments/marfsdocs/2022/UpdateSignlanguageteleinterpretation_final.pdf?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery">Chapter 22 Update</a> for details. </li>
<li>Following review, <a href="https://www.lni.wa.gov/patient-care/billing-payments/marfsdocs/2022/Chapter15MedicalTestimony.pdf?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery">Chapter 15: Medical Testimony</a> has several changes. In addition, the fee schedule is increasing. All changes are effective Jan. 1, 2023.  </li>
</ul>
<p>Contact L&amp;I at <a href="mailto:HPPM@Lni.Wa.Gov">hppm@lni.wa.gov</a> with questions.</p>
</div> | 12/22/2022 3:01:04 PM | 12/22/2022 2:58:30 PM | 12/23/2022 12:00:00 AM |
| on-demand-webinar-assessing-and-planning-for-your-financial-future | On-Demand Webinar: Assessing and Planning for Your Financial Future | memo | Shared_Content/News/Membership_Memo/2022/december-23/on-demand-webinar-assessing-and-planning-for-your-financial-future | <div class="col-md-12">
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<h5>December 23, 2022</h5>
<h2>On-Demand Webinar: Assessing and Planning for Your Financial Future</h2>
<p>In this recently recorded session, Jonathan Medverd, MD, focuses on financial health and building a strong foundation for your financial future in a webinar tailored to our young physician, resident, fellow, and medical student members.</p>
<p>During his presentation, Dr. Medverd discusses:</p>
<ul>
<li>How to assess and plan for your financial future.</li>
<li>Developing investing strategies.</li>
<li>And more.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="[@]WSMA/education/On_Demand_Webinars/assessing_and_planning_for_your_financial_future.aspx">View the on-demand webinar</a> (sign-in to the WSMA website required)</p>
</div> | 12/22/2022 3:04:33 PM | 12/22/2022 3:01:35 PM | 12/23/2022 12:00:00 AM |
| wsma-economic-impact-survey-of-physician-practices | WSMA Economic Impact Survey of Physician Practices | Membership_Memo | Shared_Content/News/Latest_News/2022/wsma-economic-impact-survey-of-physician-practices | <div class="col-md-12">
<div class="col-sm-5 pull-right" style="text-align: center;"><img src="/images/Newsletters/MembershipMemo/2022/july/doc-patient-exam-room-645x425px.jpg" class="pull-right" alt="physician treating a patient" /></div>
<h5>December 19, 2022</h5>
<h2>WSMA Economic Impact Survey of Physician Practices</h2>
<p>Over the last several years, the WSMA and Washington State Medical Group Management Association have periodically conducted surveys to better understand the economic challenges facing physicians, their practices, and patients resulting from COVID-19. Feedback has been vital to our advocacy at the state and federal levels as we secured regulatory and financial relief for medical practices. </p>
<p>With the recission of COVID-19 proclamations and regulatory waivers and the 2023 legislative session on the horizon, the WSMA and the WSMGMA conducted a sixth survey to better understand how these issues have affected physicians and patients to inform our advocacy.</p>
<p>Results from this latest round of surveying clearly demonstrate that inflation and workforce shortages, as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, are still adversely impacting outpatient physician practices, and hindering patient access to care across Washington. Respondents also note that administrative tasks, such as prior authorization remain burdensome to their practices and further strain their limited staffing resources.</p>
<p>If actions are not taken to shore up the medical practice community, access to outpatient care in our state will be severely diminished over the next year. Patients will no longer be able to get care, at the right time, at the right place, creating even more pressure on our already overwhelmed hospitals.</p>
<p>During the 2023 state legislative session, the WSMA will ask the Legislature to raise Medicaid rates to Medicare levels, as physician groups and practices overwhelmingly believe that doing so will help stabilize finances while maintaining access for current Medicaid panels and even increasing to include more patients. In addition, the WSMA will help introduce legislation to rein in insurance carrier prior authorization practices, which would also relieve staffing challenges currently felt by most of the medical practice community.</p>
<p>Download the <a href="javascript://[Uploaded files/News and Publications/Latest News/2022/inflation-survey-final.pdf]">November 2022 practice economic survey results</a>.</p>
<h3>About the respondents</h3>
<p>Eighty-two physician practices responded, representing more than a thousand physicians and health care professionals that provide care to millions of Washingtonians.</p>
<ul>
<li>26% of survey respondents were solo practitioners.</li>
<li>44% were in practices of 2-10 physicians and</li>
<li>7% were in practices of 11-20 physicians.</li>
<li>12% of respondents represented practices of 21-50 physicians, and</li>
<li>11% represented practices with over 51 physicians.</li>
</ul>
<p>These represent smaller outpatient practices that are not affiliated with a hospital system and are often the only care provided in some communities, especially rural areas.</p>
<h3>Medicaid patients </h3>
<p>Most of these practices serve Medicaid patients (75%) in addition to commercial and Medicare patients.</p>
<h3>Staffing shortages have led to practice closures and reduction in services</h3>
<p>Regarding staffing, 89% of respondents said are having experiencing shortages. Of the respondents experiencing staffing shortages, 77% are experiencing challenges filling administrative staff positions, 75% are experiencing challenges filling medical assistant positions, 40% are having trouble filling nursing positions, and 33% are having trouble hiring physicians.</p>
<p>Staffing shortages have meant 46% of practices have had to reduce patience access. Almost 40% have had to reduce their office hours, as well as services and treatments offered to patients. One respondent noted that <em>"We will most likely close our Walla Walla office by the end of the year. We understand we are the only eye surgeon serving the low income."</em> If current staffing and financial trends continue, 51% of practices aren't confident they'll be able to provide the same level of patient access a year from now.</p>
<p>Other strategies to mitigate staffing challenges:</p>
<ul>
<li><em>Delayed well child care and chronic disease management.</em></li>
<li><em>Our waiting room is now where we see patients.</em></li>
<li><em>Limited number of new patients.</em></li>
<li><em>Closed on Friday, longer wait times for patients.</em></li>
<li><em>Delays in care and decreased access to services.</em></li>
<li><em>Cut back on clinic based testing and closed satellite office.</em></li>
<li><em>Increased workloads for staff which is causing burnout.</em></li>
</ul>
<h3>Inflation is impacting almost all practices </h3>
<p>Inflation is impacting practices: 51% of respondents said that inflation has had a significant impact on their practice, while 44% said that inflation has had some impact on their practice. Of those impacted by inflation, 89% noted the rising cost of labor. To mitigate the impact of inflation, over 30% of practices have reduced office hours, patient access, and services and treatments offered to patients.</p>
<p>What physician groups said about inflation:</p>
<ul>
<li><em>Our staff are getting lured away for high cash compensation and forsaking our generous benefits package to keep up with their short-term financial stressors of rising rents/transportation/food.</em></li>
<li><em>Supply chain disruptions, we can't get flu test kits, off and on shortages or syringes or medications.</em></li>
<li><em>Payroll taxes, office equipment, supplies, malpractice insurance, property upkeep, and business taxes. Just to mention a few. I currently have my business for sale, it's become too much for a private practice to stay in business.</em></li>
<li><em>Inflation is going up. Payment from insurers is going down or staying flat. This trajectory in not sustainable to recruit and retain physicians to our specialty in the long term.</em></li>
<li><em>We raised our rates where we were able to, but insurance payments have not kept pace with inflation.</em></li>
<li><em>Stopped services where reimbursement did not keep up with cost of goods used.</em></li>
<li><em>Work harder and longer. Seeing 30+ patients per day per doctor at times.</em></li>
<li><em>Limiting Medicaid patients.</em></li>
</ul>
<h3>Ideally, practices should have 18 weeks' (roughly four months) worth of days "cash on hand"</h3>
<p>Defined as the number of days their organization can pay its operating expenses with current cash available, 93% of practices responded with having less than 4 months days cash on hand. Over half of practices report that their days cash on hand is down since November of 2021. Of those who reported that their cash on hand was down, 83% attributed it to staffing shortage or inflation.</p>
<h3>Access to care for Medicaid patients is threatened</h3>
<p>Of practices that see Medicaid patients, 46% have had to limit the number of Medicaid patients they see due to the practice's current financial statement. Furthermore, several respondents who haven't had to limit the number of Medicaid patients note it is a possibility in the future.</p>
<ul>
<li><em>We will have to limit should funding continue not to match inflationary increases.</em></li>
<li><em>Not yet, but soon going that route.</em></li>
<li><em>That could happen. That's what other practices are doing.</em></li>
<li><em>We had a much larger number of Medicaid patients, but due to very poor financial return, we had to stop taking any new Medicaid patients, as well as turning away others that once were patients, but we hadn't seen within a year. We were going broke and didn't want to close our clinic.</em></li>
<li><em>We have always had open access to all children, but for the first time in our 42-year history we are not taking new patients. We are unable to attract MDs to fill vacancies because we cannot compete with larger institutions that either do not take Medicaid or cap the number of Medicaid patients at a low rate.</em></li>
<li><em>We had to discontinue providing eyewear to our Medicaid patients through the state plan. The payment of $20 per pair of eyewear was resulting in a substantial net loss.</em></li>
<li><em>This remains the toughest population for us to see, primarily because the reimbursement is so low.</em></li>
</ul>
<h3>Without support patient access will suffer over the next year</h3>
<p>Medical practices were asked if they will be able to provide the same level of patient access a year from now if staffing and financial trends continue. Just over 50% said they are not confident.</p>
<h3>Medicaid rate increase a commonly cited solution</h3>
<p>When asked if raising Medicaid rates to Medicare levels would be sufficient to maintain current Medicaid patent caseload, 63% said that would be sufficient; 37% said they would be able to increase their Medicaid caseloads.</p>
<ul>
<li><em>If (Medicare and Medicaid) rates were the same, we would consider increasing our caseload.</em></li>
<li><em>Medicaid reimbursement has not increased in 20 yrs. Wages have changed dramatically.</em></li>
<li><em>Variance in reimbursement (between Medicaid and other payers) is no longer sustainable.</em></li>
<li><em>Increase in reimbursement for patient care would be helpful to keep on track with the other costs due to inflation.</em></li>
</ul>
<h3>Prior authorization an enormous burden for medical practices</h3>
<p>Without prompting by the survey, several respondents noted the toll administrative burden and prior authorization requirements contribute to economic and staffing challenges:</p>
<ul>
<li><em>Work to increase reimbursement and cut red tape. Prior authorizations are a killer for staff.</em></li>
<li><em>Help to improve prior authorization used as tactic to delay and deny care. Payer abuse in paying for approved services. Improve Medicaid rates to Medicare rates.</em></li>
<li><em>Decrease administrative burdens and barriers which add to cost of overhead and do not add value to practice, i.e., prior authorization, poor EHR interoperability, regular insurance audits, increasing reimbursement for primary care, reimbursement for nutritional counseling, improving access to MHP.</em></li>
<li><em>Commercial payers need to jump in and help by ending the onerous prior authorization processes. This alone would free up hours of precious staff time.</em></li>
</ul>
</div> | 12/19/2022 12:11:53 PM | 12/19/2022 12:11:28 PM | 12/19/2022 12:00:00 AM |