This is a publication to keep you informed of issues and events pertaining to the osteopathic profession in Washington State. We invite you to submit topics or articles of interest to your colleagues for consideration. Submissions may be emailed to executivedirector@woma.org

Agenda for the 108th Annual NW Osteopathic Convention Available Now!

WOMA would like to thank you for your patience while we have been working hard to assemble all of the details for this year's convention.

Below is the *Agenda. Please check it out and if you haven't registered yet, don't forget to sign up before August 22nd to save!

Discount hotel rooms are available until August 26th, visit the Convention page on our website for more information.

*Speakers and titles subject to change

Healthcare Policy Update

Extension of the Federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) Declaration

The most recent federal public health emergency (PHE) extension issued by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) extends the PHE to October 13, 2022. HHS will provide states 60 days’ notice prior to the PHE ending (by August 12, 2022), indicating whether the PHE will expire or be extended again. Early in the pandemic, all U.S. states accepted a prohibition on terminating Medicaid enrollment until the end of the PHE in return for increased federal Medicaid matching funds. The end of the PHE will result in the biggest shift of healthcare coverage since the passage of the Affordable Care Act. With the end of the PHE looming, CMS and HCA have prepared resources on restoring routine enrollment and eligibility, while ensuring minimal impact on enrollees, below:

• CMS - “Unwinding and Returning to Regular Operations after COVID-19” and “Renew Your Medicaid or CHIP Coverage”
• HCA - Visit HCA’s PHE page, where you can find the “External Guide to Washington Apple Health (Medicaid) Post-PHE.” 

988 Hotline Implementation Updates

Launched on July 16, 988 is a nationwide, three-digit dialing code that connects people in need with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. 988 is NOT replacing existing crisis centers in Washington but is the newest addition to the state’s network of crisis center providers. 988 connects people via call, text, or chat to the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL). 

Implementation updates to note:

• There will be no changes to dispatch for Designated Crisis Responders and mobile crisis response teams or the functions of any other regional crisis service. 
• 988 services will be available in Spanish and interpretation services in over 250 languages. 
• The current NSPL number, 1-800-273-TALK (8255), will remain active. 
• NSPL currently serves TTY users either through their preferred relay service or by dialing 711, then 1-800-273-8255. It also offers services through chat and text and is in the process of expanding to video phone service to better serve deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals seeking help through NPSL and 988.
• Washington has three NSPL crisis centers: Volunteers of America of Western Washington, Frontier Behavioral Health, and Crisis Connections. See a visual map below:

Over the next few years, the Crisis Response Improvement Strategy (CRIS) Committee will develop recommendations to the Governor and Legislature to support additional components of HB 1477. Learn more at the DOH 988 webpage.

Avoid Fraudulent Individuals Claiming to be State Regulators - Scam Alert

An ongoing fraud ring has been preying on healthcare practitioners for the last year. Individuals using the Washington Department of Health (DOH) or Medical Commission (WMC) phone numbers, email addresses, and web URLs are posing as DOH officials or pretending to be Drug Enforcement Administration agents in an attempt to make providers think they are in trouble with DOH or the law, and in danger of discipline or loss of license. These bad actors research specific practitioners and attempt to exploit them using personal information. If they are successful, they move forward with requests for money or information to help them carry out additional scams. 

Recent near-victims of this scam were:

• Sent papers with official-looking letterhead from WMC and U.S. Department of Justice-the letters contained forged signatures of WMC officials and fictional investigative staff.
• Called by someone claiming to be looking into their "over-prescribing of opioids".
• Told they were under official investigation for drug-related charges and that their license was immediately suspended.
• Told not to check DOH's website because that would mean they were guilty.
• Recipients of emails that had wmc.wa.gov or doh.wa.gov in the address.

Indications that a communication from a state regulator may be fraudulent:

Real regulatory agencies do not:

• Ask you for money.
• Ask you to respond to any action in less than twenty days.
• Advise against speaking with your own lawyer.
• Ask you to confirm personal details, passwords, or social security numbers.

How can I protect myself from this scam?

1. Never click on links or download suspicious attachments.
2. Don't fall prey to a manufactured urgency. A vital component of this fraud is the urgency of request or demand. If you are contacted by a regulatory agency, you will have a legally protected amount of time to respond.
3. Verify requests before you act. Verify with DOH that paperwork of any kind has been sent to you by calling: (360) 236-4700.
4. Restrict your personal information online. Scammers leverage personal information from social media accounts or other public forums. 

What can I do if I am a target of this scam?

Act! If you have verified that you are the target of a scam, file a complaint with the State Attorney General or file a complaint with the FBI Internet Crimes Unit and contact your local police department right away.

Please help spread the word about this scam by sharing this information with your friends, family and colleagues. 

CE Waivers

On July 29th, Governor Inslee announced his intent to rescind Proclamation 20-32.11 on October 27, 2022. This proclamation temporarily waived the requirements in Chapter 246-12 WAC related to continuing education for health care professionals. When the proclamation ends on October 27, 2022, providers will once again be required to attest they have met continuing education (CE) requirements for license renewal.

The Department of Health will excuse health care providers regulated by the Secretary of Health from attesting to completion of CE requirements for license renewal until they have completed their next full CE cycle after October 27, 2022. “Full cycle” means the timeframe for completing CE that is set in rule for each profession. This will assure providers have ample time to meet CE requirements for license renewal.

If you have any questions, please contact the DOH call center at (360) 236-4700.

CE Waivers

A Message from Kristin Peterson, Chief of Policy-WA State Department of Health:

DOH Transformational Plan

It is with excitement that I share the Washington State Department of Health’s (DOH) strategic plan for 2022 and beyond: DOH Transformational Plan: A Vision for Health in Washington State. You can also find the plan on our website: About Us: Strategic Plan.

This plan is a call to action for DOH as we emerge from our intense focus on COVID-19 and look ahead to reimagine public health, reinvigorate our work, and not lose sight of the lessons learned during this pandemic.  We hope you will join us on this journey.

Our plan is focused on five key priority areas:

• Health and Wellness
• Health Systems and Workforce Transformation 
• Environmental Health 
• Emergency Response and Resilience
• Global and One Health

We look forward to engaging with you on areas of mutual interest and collaboration, learning from you what is missing or needs to be emphasized, and what success means as we design programs and measure our impact.

Please reach out to me if you have any initial questions or comments about this plan.

We appreciate your partnership. 

Kristin Peterson, JD

Pronouns She/Her

Chief of Policy

Office of Policy, Planning & Evaluation

WA State Dept. of Health

360-507-4367| www.doh.wa.gov

The Washington Osteopathic Medical Association