Radio Report: Engell bill closes charity care loophole impacting Washington hospitals

January 23, 2026

A northeast Washington lawmaker is warning that a state charity care policy change is putting small rural hospitals at risk. He’s introduced a bipartisan bill to fix it. John Sattgast reports from Olympia.

SATTGAST: State Representative Andrew Engell of Colville is pushing legislation to close what he calls a loophole in Washington’s charity care law that’s hitting rural hospitals especially hard in the 7th District.

A recent Department of Health interpretation removed long-standing residency limits for non-emergency charity care, and Engell says that’s had a direct impact on hospitals like the one in Newport, near the Idaho border.

ENGELL: “It resulted in a about a tripling of out-of-state residents coming to Newport, Washington to get hospital care and expecting it to be free.”

SATTGAST: Engell’s measure, House Bill 2250, would restore residency requirements for non-emergency care, while fully protecting emergency treatment for anyone who needs it.

ENGELL: “If you’re coming from anywhere in the world and you’re traveling in Washington state and you have a heart attack and you’re under the poverty threshold, the hospital would still have to give you charity care. But you may not come to Washington for a non-emergent procedure and expect it to be done for free on the backs of the people of Washington.”

SATTGAST: The bill is awaiting a hearing in the House Health Care and Wellness Committee.

John Sattgast, the state Capitol.