Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Comment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Hospital and physician groups urge careful, state‑specific study of transaction review
Summary
Public commenters from the Washington State Hospital Association and the Washington State Medical Association urged the board to ground any transaction‑review recommendation in Washington data and to examine upstream cost drivers that lead to consolidation, noting recent state legislative changes.
During the public comment period, representatives of two major health‑care associations told the board to proceed carefully when contemplating new statutory authorities for transaction review.
Catarina LaMarche, Policy Director at the Washington State Hospital Association, said Washington already has pre‑transaction notice and material‑change frameworks that have broadened since 2019, and she urged the board to "first better understand Washington's healthcare landscape and where the problems are and then apply policy solutions that address the gaps or needs in this state and not just the gaps between Washington laws compared to other states' laws." She urged more state‑specific data (APCD) and careful targeting of reforms.
Jeb Shepherd, representing the Washington State Medical Association, asked the board to allow implementation of the legislature’s recent changes (House Bill 2548 referenced in public remarks) to be evaluated before recommending additional statutory change. Shepherd asked the board to include a dedicated section in its report about upstream cost drivers — pointing to increases in business & occupation (B&O) taxes and Medicaid reimbursement shortfalls that have pressured independent physician practices.
Both groups encouraged more data collection and a focus on causes of consolidation so legislative recommendations are tailored to Washington's specific market dynamics.
