Advocacy
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 in 2023 focus on supporting rural hospitals across our State as well as issues specific to Jefferson Healthcare.
2025 STATE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
Support access to post-acute care for complex discharge patients. Jefferson Healthcare often has one to four patients stuck in our acute care unit (ACU) due to a lack of post-acute care options. When complex discharge patients are in our ACU for longer than necessary, beds are unavailable for patients with acute care needs. We support the extension of the Governor’s Complex Discharge Task Force complex discharge pilot. This program would provide additional reimbursement, case management, and supportive services for patients stuck in hospitals. We also support reviewing and revising Medicaid network adequacy thresholds for access to post-acute care.
Preserve hospital services by reducing the administrative burden. While regulations are critical to patient and employee safety and quality of care, we oppose legislation that would place expensive, burdensome oversight on healthcare transactions. We support an approach that would protect access to care without impacting vulnerable hospital finances.
Oppose facility fee prohibitions or ‘site-neutral’ policies. Like many hospitals, Jefferson Healthcare provides access to services not otherwise available in our community through hospital-based clinics. Because hospitals offer these specialized services and serve large portions of Medicare and Medicaid patients, we need sustainable payment structures for buildings, staffing, and equipment costs. Hospitals typically charge a facility fee that covers the additional administration costs of an offsite clinic that is part of a hospital system. Prohibiting or eliminating facility fees would cut access to needed services, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Ensure that healthcare systems can negotiate in good faith with health insurers. Insurers are part of the healthcare system when caring for patients, and we strive to build collaborative relationships with payors. To ensure that hospitals can negotiate with payors, we support the following legislation:
- Oppose requirements to contract with any specific payor.
- Eliminate the contracting bill or similar legislation.
- Enact prior authorization transparency and modifications and address inappropriate denials.
Support low-volume rural labor and delivery. Jefferson Healthcare staff and providers are ready 24/7 at a moment’s notice to deliver babies and provide after-birth care. Having labor and delivery services available at all times in a community like ours, with few births, requires hospitals to subsidize these services significantly. Jefferson Healthcare is requesting the continuation of the grant funding to support low-volume, rural labor and delivery programs. Jefferson Healthcare received one of these grants in 2024, and we advocate for ongoing support for this critical service.
Ensure that hospitals are paid adequately to provide critical care to patients. Unsurprisingly, we support coverage and access to care for Washington State patients. Therefore, we oppose cuts to healthcare spending or payments. Hospitals cannot absorb cuts without impacts on access and services. Access to providers and hospitals is critical for equitable care, which includes supporting programs similar to SNAP, the Safety Net Assessment Program.
Pictured from left: Commissioner Marie Dressler, RN, Commissioner Jill Buhler Rienstra, CEO Mike Glenn, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, COO Jake Davidson, and Construction & Planning Manager Aaron Vallat touring the construction zone at Jefferson Healthcare in 2024.