Giving Tuesday 2022 is November 29th. This year please support our work to strengthen democracy, and also receive some special gifts with your donation! It’s our way to say thank you for supporting our efforts for democracy.
We have two ways to give…
Donations to Fix Democracy First Education Fund, our 501(c)(3) civic education and outreach organization, supports all our civic outreach and public education programs including, our Democracy Happy Hours, our youth outreach program YO VOTE!, and Women in Office Now, which offers free training to women running for office. All donations to FDFEF are tax deductible.
Donations to Fix Democracy First, our 501(c)(4) advocacy organization, supports our work to expand and strengthen democracy through various reforms, including public funding of elections, getting big money out of politics, expanding access to voting, eliminating gerrymandering, and alternative voting systems like ranked choice voting and proportional representation. Donations to FDF are not tax deductible.
We are delighted to announce that registration is now open for our first hybrid Annual Dinner celebration Pathways of Solidarity on Sunday November 20 (program begins at 5:30pm)!
Please register by October 31 for your best chance for attending in person in Renton or Spokane, or put together a watch party for joining the celebration online.
We started looking at rural hospitals from the selfish position of saving our lives, and those of our families. A less urgent but maybe no less selfish view is that health care is big business. And we in rural areas need the employment and property taxes.
Recall, too, that several months ago we talked about “gateway” communities and the unwanted housing, water and environment, and cost-of-living effects that come with being attractive communities. The Methow was our test case but the same holds for Omak, Chelan Leavenworth, Cle Elum, and Dayton, too.
We recognize the downsides of Puget Sound residents moving east to work remotely and recreate locally. We acknowledge, though, that they bring not only pressure on scarce housing but also purchasing power, tax revenues and innovative ideas. They bring dollars and culture.
Health care access is part of responsible planning for populations shifts, for folks moving into our communities. Access to good health care is a major factor for both young families with kids going to our schools and retirees converting their house equity to investment in our downtowns.
If “selfish” means planning for our own welfare, then we all should know about, care about, and do something about making our rural health care viable.
Join Shane McGuire in talking through these issues. Shane enjoys widespread respect in southeast Washington and has graciously agreed to help us understand what makes small hospitals work.
Don 13 November 2022
Rural Hospitals. Essential. Viable? Who pays what?
Some years ago, ARC heard from Providence that their estimates of how the Affordable Care Act would work were thrown off by the greater than expected proportion of their patients that were on Medicaid. The expansion of Medicaid had the intended effect of increasing the number of previously uninsured residents who were seeking health care.
The statement then was that Medicaid paid less than private insurers. A current study of small rural hospitals turns that on its head. Private insurers short small rural hospitals relative to Medicaid and Medicare. What are the facts?
This quickly drops us down into the rabbit hole of health care finance. One shaky handhold is Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation. (Here is what they are. And here is who they are in Washington.) It turns out that CAH’s are compensated differently than Sole Community Hospitals, for example. CAH status buys you compensation based on your cost of service. No other classification gets this privilege. Most hospitals are paid under Prospective Payment Systems – “pre-determined, fixed discharge payment”.
If CAH status is so good, then, why is there such a variation in payment? If Dayton’s 60 percent “weighted cost to charge” is good, then what about Pomeroy’s 553 percent? What does this mean?
FINAL CRITICAL ACCESS HOSPITAL (CAH)
WEIGHTED COST TO CHARGE (WCC) RATES
INPATIENT
OUTPATIENT
WCC
WCC
Cascade Medical Center
92.88%
48.29%
Columbia Basin Hospital
155.03%
68.40%
Coulee Medical Center
77.70%
55.86%
Dayton General Hospital
59.70%
46.20%
East Adams Rural Hospital
73.31%
56.79%
Ferry County Memorial Hospital
125.46%
36.35%
Forks Community Hospital
57.91%
39.68%
Garfield County Memorial Hospital
553.75%
139.84%
Jefferson Healthcare Hospital
70.58%
42.22%
Kittitas Valley Healthcare
66.14%
41.31%
Klickitat Valley Hospital
130.02%
50.56%
Lake Chelan Community Hospital
47.31%
56.49%
Lincoln Hospital
102.80%
71.33%
Lourdes Medical Center
23.60%
21.10%
Mason General Hospital
43.03%
31.79%
Mid-Valley Hospital
72.62%
47.63%
Morton General Hospital
83.89%
54.67%
Newport Community Hospital
75.37%
54.10%
North Valley Hospital
95.55%
56.20%
Ocean Beach Hospital
107.28%
54.89%
Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center
199.39%
107.98%
Othello Community Hospital
61.12%
42.59%
PeaceHealth United General Medical Center
38.77%
29.01%
Prosser Memorial Hospital Medical Center
41.57%
28.72%
Providence Mount Carmel Hospital
65.10%
40.53%
Providence St. Joseph’s Hospital
100.02%
49.06%
Pullman Regional Hospital
78.76%
44.73%
Quincy Valley Medical Center
433.39%
74.33%
Skyline Hospital
84.51%
73.16%
Snoqualmie Valley Hospital
85.63%
80.87%
St. Elizabeth Hospital
26.46%
17.63%
Summit Pacific Medical Center
54.43%
36.62%
Sunnyside Community Hospital
33.16%
21.44%
Three Rivers Hospital
102.36%
73.57%
Tri-State Memorial Hospital
43.84%
39.48%
Whidbey General Hospital
73.20%
30.00%
Whitman Hospital & Medical Center
62.22%
56.80%
Willapa Harbor Hospital
102.47%
57.93%
Let’s ask Shane McGuire on the 17th, but don’t expect an easy route out of the rabbit hole.
Don 7 November 2022
Rural Hospitals. Essential. Viable?
It is commonplace that rural hospitals are important. Common, that is, until it is your father has a cardiac arrest at the Thanksgiving table, your wife wakes up in the middle of the night gasping for air, or your son catches his hand in the baler’s power take-off, working alone on the other side of the farm. Then your local hospital becomes essential.
Will your hospital be there for the next curve life throws at your family?
Is your rural hospital viable? The cost structure is simple enough: physicians, nurses, support staff, supplies…the lights. That is where the simplicity stops. What is the denominator? A rural hospital does not know from day to day who is going to present as an outpatient, inpatient.
The bigger complication is payment for services. What do you get paid for a patient? And who decides?
Join Shane McGuire, CEO of Columbia County Health System (Dayton), to get a feel for the ins and outs of managing a rural hospital.
Don 29 October 2022
Legacy News
The Lower Snake River dam system moves grain from the Palouse and the Camas Prairie to Portland. Replacing this capacity is a difficult issue. Solutionary Rail, an advocacy group, has done an exceptional job of mapping rail alternatives to the barges.
The Odessa Groundwater Replacement Project is widening irrigation mainlines to deliver increased quantities of Columbia River water to replace the groundwater extraction from the Odessa aquifer. A problem, though, is finding funds to replace the existing bridges.
When joining the meeting, please type your name and your role in the chat. If you are a PCO, please type your precinct number by your name. If you are an officer or committee chair, please include that information. If none of those apply to you, please type guest, and we’re glad you’re joining us!
Democracy in Action Across Washington State | News from the League of Women Voters of WA
To Do List
Make sure to check the status of your ballot at VoteWA.gov. If it’s been rejected or challenged, make sure to cure your ballot by the deadline (11/29) so that it counts!
This country has waited too long for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to become a part of the Constitution. Over 100 years after (some) women gained the right to vote, women and nonbinary people are still not guaranteed equality under the law. Tell your Senators to Support the Equal Rights Amendment.
Upcoming Events
12.10 SAT | Action Workshop
Learn about what's expected in the upcoming legislative session on the League's key issues from our lobbyist, legislators, and Advocacy Team. Learn more.
1.7 SAT | Speak Up School
LWVWA is supporting local Leagues and ally organizations to host workshops called Speak Up Schools. This upcoming Speak Up School people will learn how to give effective testimony. Save the date—more info to come!
Around the League
What are League Members Up To?
The midterm election may be over and the legislative session still weeks away, but the League of Women Voters of Washington is as busy as ever. So, what are League members up to? Here is a short list—we’d love to have you join us!
The League actively worked to empower voters and defend democracy this election season, with both the state and local Leagues holding election forums and debates so voters could hear from the candidates themselves.
Celebrating Karen Verrill’s Commitment to Civic Education
At the 2021 Convention, the League of Women Voters of Washington awarded Karen Verrill the Evergreen Award for her tireless commitment to civic education.
Fix Democracy First Speaks Out on Corporate Money in Washington’s Elections
The LWVWA’s coalition partner Fix Democracy First spoke with the Spokesman Review about the money four of WA’s largest public companies contribute to elections and the impact those contributions have on our state’s politics.
Join Your Local League
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Support the League
We're able to continue our mission of empowering voters and defending democracy because of support from folks like you. Show your support by donating to the League of Women Voters of Washington right now!
The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.
The League of Women Voters of Washington
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Seattle, WA 98101
United States
****If you have not yet subscribed to the BPI Newsletter, sign up HERE****
Hello Democrats,
Election Day is less than a week away! That means that GOTV is upon us! It is our hope that you find this month’s resources to be helpful as you prepare to ensure our base of voters, go out and vote through your GOTV efforts.
As always, thank you for all of the work you do to elect Democrats up and down the ballot.
Onward, Best Practices Institute
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
DNC Talent Bank The DNC Talent Bank is a resource to help state parties and campaigns find the best applicants for a wide range of positions, from field organizers to digital directors to communications staff, and more.
If you are interested in pursuing a campaign position, please sign up for the DNC Talent Bank in order to receive information on available positions and other career opportunities. All levels of experience and fields of interest are encouraged to apply.
BPI Hiring Update – Deputy Training Director We are hiring here at the Best Practices Institute! If you know someone who would be a great candidate to join the team as the Best Practices Institute’s Deputy Training Director have them apply with their resume HERE.
TRAINING AND ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
November Activist Challenge
Our monthly Activist Challenge is designed to build infrastructure for Democratic campaigns and organizations through grassroots engagement. Are you ready to accept the challenge, and help elect Democrats up and down the ballot?!
BPI Spotlight Training The Spotlight Training portion of the BPI Newsletter will highlight specific trainings that cover skills and concepts that are core to our work and ask you to revisit those trainings in our BPI Victory Vault. The trainings spotlighted in each month’s challenge will correlate to skill building that we believe is most relevant to the timeframe in which it is recommended, allowing participants to put their new knowledge to work right away.
After reviewing these “spotlight” trainings, we will urge you to share and implement what you have learned within your local Democratic organizations and groups. Happy training to all the amazing Democrats stepping up to run for office, and those who are continuously working to support their campaigns! You must register for Victory Vault access to review these materials.
BPI Victory Vault
The BPI Victory Vault contains on-demand training resources, tailored toward volunteers, community organizers, activists, and campaigns, which cover a variety of grassroots organizing skills. The BPI Victory Vault continues to grow, with new additions added periodically as resources become available. New members are added each Wednesday, and you must use a gmail account to register in order to access the BPI Victory Vault Google Drive folder. Check out our BPI Victory Vault instructions if you have trouble accessing the BPI Victory Vault once you receive your email invitation.
The BPI Victory Vault resources are meant for educational purposes only. BPI Victory Vault materials are not downloadable or shareable. Any individual interested in viewing the BPI Victory Vault resources must complete the application in order to request access. We reserve the right to remove individuals from any and all BPI resources in the event of inappropriate use.
ABOUT THE BPI
Best Practices Institute
The Best Practices Institute (BPI) is the shared training department of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Association of State Democratic Committees (ASDC). The BPI delivers training to activists and volunteers, party leaders and staff, students and youth organizers, candidates and campaign staff, constituency caucus members and community leaders, and so many more!
BPI training topics range from field organizing to digital mobilization, data to finance, communications to compliance, and leadership development to movement building, just to name a few.
Through this vast expansion of training programs, the new BPI is building and strengthening the Democratic Party infrastructure to ensure success for years to come!
CONNECT WITH US
Text “Training” to 43367 to stay updated on BPI training opportunities, and other insider DNC news! (By texting 43367, you are consenting to receive recurring and/or automated text messages and calls from the DNC. Text STOP to stop, HELP for Help. For SMS, msg & data rates may apply. Democrats.org/privacy-policy)
Check us out on social media by searching #BPItraining– and don’t forget to tag us in all of your training and volunteer activities!
Want to be part of an online community of Democrats, get involved at the local level, and stay up to date on events happening in your state? Click HERE to join one of our many DNC Facebook groups!
Happy Training!
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We know ARC, Ag and Rural Caucus. Well, our sister organization is ECC, Environment and Climate Caucus. Steve Verhey, a long-standing ARC friend and chair of ECC, has invited us to join ECC’s meeting on solar siting.
Steve and I have long lamented the overlap of our respective meetings. This meeting is an exception. It meets 1830 (6:30 pm) on Thursday the 27th of October.
Mike Ritter of WDFW will talk about solar project siting in Washington, with a look at the longer-term ecological effects.
ECC members are fellow Democrats with a little different take on some of our core issues but they always bring expertise to the table. It is important that we communicate and learn. This is an opportunity to learn more about an issue that is important to us, and to share our perspective.
Use the link to register and add the event to your calendar
ARC’s quarterly meeting is Thursday 20 October at 6:30 pm. The agenda is a round table on local and congressional elections. Please invite your candidates if available.
It is easy to lose track of the issues we address. We take snapshots of issues around the state and then move on, for example, from flood control and habitat recovery on the Chehalis to childhood stress and social policy.
Rural problems do not go away just because we have moved on. This month I include links to selected articles about issues we have visited, just to give you a sense of continuity.
Two items have added to the discussion about the Lower Snake River Dams. The Murray – Inslee report adopted our ex ante mitigation advocacy, while NOAA explicitly does not address trade-offs.
Another legacy issue is regulation of the dairy industry in the Lower Yakima basin. The state does not require CAFO permits until after a problem has arisen. Ecology has proposed closer regulation of small operations, under 200 head of cattle.
Note that there will be discussions about the documents linked above. Please review them in advance of the meeting, if possible.
When joining the meeting, please type your name and your role in the chat. If you are a PCO, please type your precinct number by your name. If you are an officer or committee chair, please include that information. If none of those apply to you, please type guest, and we’re glad you’re joining us!
Benton County Democratic Central Committee
October 27, 2022
In-Person and on Zoom
Round Table Pizza, G Washington Way, Richland
Social Hour 6:30p
Meeting begins at 7:00P
Notified Meeting for the Purpose of By-Laws and Rules Changes
Call to Order
Call to Order
Pledge of Allegiance
Adopt Agenda
Approval of Minutes
Secretary’s Report
Treasurer’s Report & Communications (Durga)
Chair’s Report
Ballots will be dropped before the monthly meeting.
Election. Election. Election. Phone banking, texting, door knocking.
Connect with Dems in your precinct.
GOTV (Get Out The Vote).
1st VC Report (Regina)
2nd VC Report (John)
Organizing Committee (Allison)
Elections Committee (Justin)
State Committee Member 1 (Regina)
State Committee Member 2 (Sabastian)
Resolutions (Kitty)
Agrivoltaics Resolution
Labor (Open)
Events & Tri-City Dems (Carl)
8th LD (Chris)
16th LD (Everett)
15th LD
Unfinished Business
New Business
By-laws and Rules Changes to Comply with Dropping of the Covid Emergency
It’s officially crunch time! Ballots were mailed out this week and we have just 18 days to go until Election Day. We need everyone to step up and make sure our terrific Democratic candidates have what it takes to win up and down the ticket!
With so many extremely close races we can’t leave anything up to chance and so I want to take a moment to ask every Democrat reading this to complete the “to do list” below and do your part to help terrific candidates statewide:
Your GOTV to do list:
VOTE right away once you get your ballot– return your ballot once you get it, so we can use valuable resources to turn out other voters. We will continue our work to knock, call or text to get all those ballots in, including yours! SO please, VOTE once you get your ballot (find a drop box near you using this link). If, for any reason, there is an issue with you ballot once you get it, we can help you correct it and get your ballot counted – call our voter hotline for any concerns at 206-309-VOTE
Make certain your friends and family VOTE as soon as they get their ballots – again, we need every last vote this cycle. Help us! Use social media, dinnertime conversations, coffee shop talks, whatever it takes to make certain folks know they need to vote!
Join us for GOTV – take at least one shift to door knock (the best) phone bank (good) or text bank (ok) – see the list below and sign up!
Remember – we are the only organization working to turn out every Democratic voter statewide and folks we reach are much more likely to return their ballots than those we don’t.
Our 2022 Get Out the Vote tour is in full swing and we have so many exciting events on deck!
We hope you will join us tonight at 5pmfor a GOTV rally at Seattle Center Armory featuring Senator Elizabeth Warren and terrific leaders like Senator Patty Murray, Governor Jay Inslee, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, and NARAL President Mini Timmaraju!!
And don’t worry, if you can’t make any of these events, we have more opportunities to get involved right up until election day. Find an event near you at wa-democrats.org/organizingevents. You also can support our efforts with a contribution; chip in HERE today — anything helps!
ut most importantly, remember once you get your ballot, to fill it out and send it back! If you have any questions about voting, we’re here to help; our Voter Protection hotline is live at 206-309-VOTE, or 206-309-8683. You can also visit wa-democrats.org/iwillvote for more information.
These resources will allow the Snohomish Health District to implement a new electronic health record system and telehealth program. DelBene secured the investment in the FY22 federal omnibus funding package.
Gov. Jay Inslee recognized 23 state agency leaders with an annual celebration for outstanding leadership, inclusive excellence and achievement during the 2021 calendar year. The Governor’s Outstanding Leadership Award program was created in 1985 to honor state government leaders who demonstrate excellent performance and leadership.
Democratic incumbent Sen. Emily Randall is being challenged by Republican Rep. Jesse Young in the race for District 26 – the most expensive legislative race in Washington state. Randall and Young faced off in a debate Saturday afternoon at the Norm Dicks Government Center in Bremerton.
“As the only pro-choice woman doctor in all of Congress, I need to make sure, and want to make sure, that it is women and doctors making health care decisions, not the government,” Schrier said.
Schrier is running an ad with a recording of Larkin meeting with Republicans last spring, in which he is heard saying, “I don’t believe in the exceptions for the things you said, rape and incest and things like that.”
Asked under what circumstances abortion should be allowed, Larkin answered, “It’s an instance where both sides compromise and come together and talk about it. This is not a black-and-white issue. It’s just not.”
Special guests: U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Elizabeth Warren, Gov. Jay Inslee, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, NARAL President Mini Timmaraju, and Chair Tina Podlodowski
The work we do today wins elections this November. If you’re ready to elect Democrats in every race and every place in Washington state, invest in our efforts and make a contribution now.
Want to support our work year round? Join Blue Washington, our monthly giving program! It is the most effective way to help candidates, volunteers, organizers, activists, and staff because it gives us the certainty we need to scale up our program with confidence. Your monthly investment ensures we can defend our strong legislative majorities, flip key congressional seats from red to blue, and fight for progressive values. Help us lead the way to victories at all levels of government today!
Washington State Democrats
PO Box 4027
Seattle, WA 98194
United States
I wanted to send a reminder out that we will be holding our observer training on Monday, October 17th at 3:00 pm at the Benton County Voting Center (address below in my signature line). Please have anyone that will be participating in the observer program attend.
If you have attendees ready please send me their names and e-mail addresses before Monday for my e-mail distributions.
Thank you.
Amanda Hatfield
Elections Manager
Benton County Auditor | Elections Division
2618 N. Columbia Center Blvd. | Richland, WA 99352
(509) 736-3085 ext. 5639
Email: amanda.hatfield@co.benton.wa.uswww.bentonauditor.com
