Legislative advocacy is critical in our changing political landscape. Jefferson Healthcare prioritizes advocacy efforts by visiting our state officials in Olympia regularly to discuss issues which directly impact our residents and visit Washington DC to meet with federal officials. Our legislative priorities for 2022 follow the Washington State Hospital Association’s agenda. Focusing on difficult to discharge patients, ensuring the financial sustainability of rural hospitals and supporting access for all services, such as reproductive healthcare, are important both practically and philosophically to Jefferson Healthcare.
2022 Legislative Priorities
Address the workforce challenges with flexible and innovative solutions.
Jefferson Healthcare is the medical home for east Jefferson County and must remain open to serve our patients. We support budget and policy solutions to addressing the immediate crisis in staffing in our clinical workforce and look forward to partnering with local agencies and the state legislature to develop a long-term plan to ensure that our hospital is a stable institution in our community.
Support the continuum of care for our patients.
To continue to provide excellent access to our patients, Jefferson Healthcare is supportive of measures that ensure that patients are receiving the best care they can at the most appropriate place. Strategically investing in long-term care for patients who are ready to be discharged from the hospital and promoting policies that support transferring patients is critical for Jefferson Healthcare.
Support bills that promote wellness.
Jefferson Healthcare is continuing to take care of the entire community with projects around equity, child care, food insecurity, and well-being. We support initiatives that ensure the health and wellness of our entire population.
JH Advocacy Team in Olympia
Critical Access Hospital Modernization Act
Utilizing Critical Access Hospital Infrastructure to Expand Critical Services to Rural Communities
In 2018, Jefferson Healthcare began discussing how to sustainably expand service lines to include things not included on the Medicare Cost Report, which is a federal designation that determines how Jefferson Healthcare is paid as a Critical Access Hospital. Starting with a series of key informant interviews, it was decided that in order to provide all needed services to our community Jefferson Healthcare had to change the legislation around how we are paid. This work led into the Critical Access Hospital Modernization Act, which has the potential to change the landscape for all critical access hospitals across the country. Jefferson Healthcare is continuing to work with our federal legislators and partners on decreasing barriers to support whole-community care.
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