Bill > SB5923

This bill modifies existing law to allow critical access hospitals, which are rural hospitals certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide essential healthcare services, to be eligible for specific payment rates under medical assistance programs. Specifically, it amends a section of Washington state law (RCW 74.09.5225) to add a provision that a critical access hospital is eligible for these payments if it is located on an island and operates within a public hospital district in Skagit County. This change aims to ensure continued access to healthcare services in this specific geographic area by clarifying eligibility for reimbursement based on location and operational structure, while also referencing a pilot program designed to explore alternative payment models for rural healthcare.