WashingtonSkagit County island hospitals qualify for payments based on costs
Federally designated rural hospitals on Skagit County islands qualify for state medical assistance payments based on costs when they operate within public hospital districts and stay outside the rural health access preservation pilot.
What it does
Federally designated rural hospitals on Skagit County islands qualify for payments based on costs if they operate within public hospital districts and do not participate in the rural health access preservation pilot.
Argument forPayments based on costs could help eligible island hospitals cover care expenses for patients receiving state medical assistance.
Argument againstPaying eligible island hospitals based on costs could give them less reason to control spending on care covered by state medical assistance.
More detail
The state pays eligible hospitals based on their allowable costs for the year. Eligible hospitals must be on islands and operate within public hospital districts in Skagit County. Payments cover care for patients receiving state medical assistance, including those enrolled in managed care. The hospital must have federal certification as a critical access hospital, a special designation for rural hospitals. Hospitals participating in the Washington rural health access preservation pilot do not receive these payments based on costs. The law took effect on June 11, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 17Effective date 6/11/2026.Latest
- Mar 17Chapter 84, 2026 Laws.Major
- Mar 17Governor Bob Ferguson signed.Became Law
- Mar 9Delivered to Governor.To Governor
- Mar 5Speaker signed.Passed House
- Mar 5President signed.Passed Senate
- Mar 4Third reading, passed; yeas, 96; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 2.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#12). Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 4Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Mar 3Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Mar 2Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Feb 27APP - Majority; do pass.Minor
- Feb 27Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 26Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 1:30 PM.
- Feb 17Referred to Appropriations.Minor
- Feb 17Committee relieved of further consideration.
- Feb 17First reading, referred to Health Care & Wellness.Minor
- Feb 16Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#23). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 16Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Feb 161st substitute bill substituted (WM 26).Major
- Feb 10Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Feb 6Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- Feb 5WM - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.Major
- Feb 5Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 1:30 PM.
- Jan 19Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 4:00 PM.
- Jan 12First reading, referred to Ways & Means.Minor
- 2025
- Dec 22Prefiled for introduction.Introduced
Healthcare