Letter to the Editor: WSHA position on house budget proposal

Washington State’s hospitals are strongly opposed to the House budget and its attack on hospitals and the health of our residents. The House budget makes deep cuts to payment rates and services that will directly impact safety net hospitals and vital services provided to Medicaid enrollees.

The House budget violates all the agreements made last year on the Hospital Safety Net Assessment, and changes the assessment from a fee to a tax on hospitals and their patients. The result is a $250 million cut to hospital Medicaid rates. These cuts mean hospitals will be paid significantly less than the c...