SW Washington

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SABINE VAN ERP/PIXABAY

For those unfit to make decisions, a complex path out of the hospital

The guardianship process is long and complicated, and there aren’t enough people willing to take on that role for patients

Jun 20, 2023

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From left, Robert Coberly, Tulalip, tribal crisis counselor; Heaven Arbuckle, tribal crisis counselor lead; and Arbuckle's husband, Brandon Hachett, holding their son Roman. The group had an information table for the Native and Strong Lifeline at a recent Missing and Murdered Indigenous People event in Tulalip, Washington. | COURTESY NATIVE AND STRONG LIFELINE

Lifeline provides mental health support to Native people in Washington state

Volunteers of America Western Washington launched the Native and Strong Lifeline in November 2022 to address the growing mental health crisis

Jun 13, 2023

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MARK PATON/UNSPLASH

How new Washington laws aim to lower out-of-pocket health care costs

Insulin, abortions, hearing aids and cancer screenings are among the medical expenses that may soon cost less for Washington residents with health insurance

May 30, 2023

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John Stejer sits in front of his home and holds a photo of his mother, Betty Stejer, 88, on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, in Everett, Washington. John moved his mother to Arizona in 2022 due to the difficulty of finding Medicaid-approved housing for her. | RYAN BERRY / THE HERALD

A Washington man’s struggle to get mom into assisted living: $22K, 1,500 miles

John Stejer’s mother, 86, is eligible for Medicaid. But he discovered no place in the state would take her. “I was actually in disbelief.”

May 30, 2023

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The Washington State Capitol in Olympia. | SHUTTERSTOCK

Inslee signs drug policy overhaul into law in Washington state

Passed during a one-day special session on Tuesday, the package includes tougher penalties for illegal drug possession, along with millions for treatment programs

May 18, 2023

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U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden at a July 9, 2022 event in Portland. | PHOTO COPYRIGHT: PAMPLIN MEDIA GROUP/PETER WONG (USED WITH PERMISSION)

‘Ghost’ providers abundant in Oregon, Washington, Senate report finds

Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden said patients who pay for Medicare Advantage plans can’t reach mental health providers, and vowed to take action

May 4, 2023
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A reproductive rights protest in Washington D.C. on Oct. 2, 2021. | SHUTTERSTOCK

Washington judge confirms mifepristone access in 18 states, including Oregon and Washington

The federal ruling Thursday reaffirms an initial order last week, which preserved access to a widely used abortion drug in Oregon, Washington and 16 other states

Apr 14, 2023

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Vancouver Clinic. | COURTESY VANCOUVER CLINIC

Vancouver Clinic to open new mental health center

It will accept Medicare and fill other gaps in the area’s behavioral health care system.

Jan 12, 2023
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As respiratory illnesses cause increasing strain on hospitals in Oregon and Washington, PeaceHealth officials are telling people not to come to the emergency room at Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver if at all possible. | COURTESY OF PEACEHEALTH

PeaceHealth Officials Urge Patients To Avoid ER In Vancouver As Oregon Officials Issue New Alert

As hospitals in Oregon and Washington cope with a new capacity crisis fueled by respiratory illnesses, Oregon officials are urging new precautions.

Nov 23, 2022

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Workers rallied on Oct. 10, 2022, at Peacehealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver, Washington, to protest working conditions. | COURTESY PHOTO

PeaceHealth Workers In Vancouver Claim Management ‘Bullying’

Over the past two years, nearly all of the Washington hospital’s roughly 90 patient access representatives have quit, according to the union.

Oct 11, 2022
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