Earlier this year, the Washington Health Alliance partnered with Astellas to bring our members a webinar on the impact of menopause on women in the workplace.

The hour-long webinar, featuring Dr. Shayna Mancuso, a medical director for Astellas and board-certified OB-GYN, offered crucial insights into creating a supportive and inclusive work environment.

Along with the webinar, the Alliance created a helpful infographic to offer guidance for employers.

For additional important resources on menopause in the workplace visit the Society of Women's Health.

Learn more and watch the webinar.

EvergreenHealth, a Washington Health Alliance member, was recognized Wednesday as leading hospital in caring for people living with diabetes by the Leapfrog Group and the American Diabetes Association.

EvergreenHealth was among the 17 hospitals selected nationally for outstanding diabetes care.

According to the Leapfrog Group, of which the Alliance is a regional leader, this new recognition of top hospitals for diabetes care weighs patient care from admission through discharge.

Learn more about EvergreenHealth's recognition.

Carrum Health and the Washington Health Alliance today announced a strategic partnership to help Washington employers reduce their healthcare spend while gaining access to top quality care for their employees.

The Alliance’s members can now tap Carrum’s rigorously vetted value-based Centers of Excellence (COE) network of providers for complex, high cost surgical and cancer care. 

Learn more about the partnership with Carrum Health.

Alliance welcomes new staff member

The Alliance is happy to welcome a new senior health data analyst, Gabriel Hanna.

Gabriel brings more than a decade's worth of data science experience to the Alliance, including nearly eight years working for Alliance member Molina Healthcare.

He joins the Alliance's Data Management and Analytics team at an exciting time as we continue to drive innovative, insightful analysis of our voluntary All-Payer Claim database, which encompasses more than 4 million lives in Washington state.

Learn more about Gabriel.

Alliance announces new board chair, treasurer

The Alliance Board of Directors voted last month to name Carol Wilmes, Director of Member Pooling Programs at the Association of Washington Cities, as the new board chair.

Wilmes, who has been a member of the Alliance board since 2018, takes over for Curt Bailey, CEO of Bloodworks Northwest.

Wilmes previously served as the board's treasurer. Laura Reding, Chief Operating Officer of SEIU 775 Benefits Group, was appointed the new treasurer by the board.

Learn more about the Alliance Board.

Seattle Unity, 8th Ave. North in Seattle from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on May 15

This event is free for Alliance members and $35 for non-members.

Since the Federal Trade Commission announced in 2022 that they would be inquiring into prescription drug middlemen, media coverage has amplified prescription drug pricing and the complex system in which it exists. For health care purchasers (employers and union trusts), there’s no better time than now to demand transparency and renegotiate contracts.

While millions of dollars are spent on prescription drugs in Washington state each year, the spending has been largely opaque. Join us for never-before-revealed insights into where the money is going. 

Through this educational forum, attendees will take away:

• In-depth insights into spread pricing in Washington, where it exists, and its impact on patient costs.
• Strategies for plan sponsors to be better fiduciaries of your pharmacy benefits.
• Employer case studies on getting to the right price.

While the event will be held in person in Seattle, a virtual option is available. Breakfast and coffee will provided to those who attend in person.

Seattle Unity, 8th Ave. North in Seattle from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 6

This event is free for Alliance members and $35 for non-members.

Private insurance spending per member grew by 61.6% from 2008 to 2022.

“Generally speaking, private insurance pay higher prices for healthcare than Medicare and Medicaid.” (Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker 2024). How much of this growth is driven by disproportionate hospital costs compared to Medicare rates?

The Washington Health Alliance will answer this question and more during this forum.

Attendees will come away with:

• Opportunities to manage inpatient/outpatient spending.
• Insights into and recommendations for risk management of high-cost claims including cell & gene therapy.
• How shifting spend to primary care can improve your population’s health outcomes.
• Where employers are investing in their healthcare benefits and the return they’re receiving.

While the event will be held in person in Seattle, a virtual option is available.

Virtual | May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PT

Join the Alliance for an hour-long webinar on the increasing role of genetic biomarkers in personalized medicine from testing to treatment.

Speakers include: Rebecca (Becki) Hulinsky, MS - Director of Genomics Strategy and Solutions for Health Plans at Quest Diagnostics

This event is free and open to all.

Attendees will come away with key learnings on:

• Understanding genetics.

• The life continuum - prenatal, inherited cancer, and cancer treatment.

• Equitable benefit design for personalized medicine.

Our members and supporters can be the best ambassadors for our work. If you know someone who would like to learn more about membership in the Alliance, contact Denise Giambalvo, Director of Member Engagement & Business Strategy, at dgiambalvo@wahealthalliance.org.