Washington News
News stories from the past 60 days.
Apr 6, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announcing a delay in the implementation of two services from the list of Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) model items and services. The two services for which the prior authorization or pre-payment review process are delayed are 1) Deep Brain Stimulation for Essential Tremor and Parkinson's Disease (NCD 160.24) and 2) Percutaneous Image-Guided Lumbar Decompression for Spinal Stenosis (NCD 150.13). This notice is effective April 6, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 6, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) making typographical and technical corrections to the July 1, 2025 notice titled "Medicare Program; Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model." Corrections are effective April 6, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Mar 29, 2026 - Describes long distances to cancer treatment common in rural areas and how one Texas medical facility added the service in a small community. Discusses challenges in attracting oncologists to rural facilities and offering access to more modern, advanced treatments.
Source: CNN
Mar 26, 2026 - Highlights housing policies from rural Maine, North Dakota, Washington, and Oregon that make their communities more affordable and livable, including for older adults and residents with disabilities.
Source: AARP
Mar 17, 2026 - Highlights remarks and the results of a study from a Washington medical student comparing rural and urban experiences in surgical clerkship programs. Discusses robotic surgery as a solution to rural surgeon shortages.
Source: Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine News
Feb 28, 2026 - Describes the focus on native culture as a preventive strategy for suicide and mental health crises in Lummi Nation. Discusses high rates of drug overdoses among Lummi Nation youth.
Source: Native News Online
Feb 27, 2026 - Highlights the Utah Stroke Trials Network, a National Institutes of Health research network increasing access to stroke treatment research trials for rural and frontier communities in Utah, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, and Washington.
Source: University of Utah Health News