Judge Paula Casey ruled in favor of the WSMA, the Washington State Hospital Association and two other groups who filed the lawsuit. The law was expected to save the state $35 million, but hospitals and physicians argued that the rule could hurt patients as they wait until their conditions require more costly emergency medical attention. The “non-emergency” classifications in the law include more than 700 diagnoses, such as chest pain, miscarriage and breathing problems.
Washington will now go through a formal rule-making process that will include public hearings and public comments before the ER-limit policy can be implemented.
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