Kids First Communication

The new episode ( #30) of Speech Scope by Medbridge is out now on YouTube and your favorite podcast platform! This episode talks about all things 92507 and I was honored to be the featured guest. No matter what clinical setting you are working in, this code change will impact you, so make sure you know what's happening.
Thank you to Sarah Baar at Honeycomb Speech Therapy for the great conversation!

Speech Scope Ep 30: Beyond 92507: How Can Medical SLPs Prepare for the 2027 Coding Transition? Join host Sarah Baar, MA, CCC-SLP, as she sits down with Heather M....

Way to go WSLHA advocacy! SB 5845 was just signed into law by Gov. Ferguson. Here are some of the highlights of the new law:

Senate Bill 5845 (ESSB 5845), which focuses on modernizing and strengthening timely payment requirements for health carriers, aiming to improve cash flow for hospitals and providers.

Key details of the legislation for 2026 include:
Clean Claim Definition & Deadline: Beginning January 1, 2027, carriers and plans for public employees must pay or deny "clean claims" within 30 calendar days of receipt.

Notice Requirement: For claims that are not "clean," carriers must send electronic notice within 21 calendar days of receipt, requesting necessary information or explaining the denial.

Interest on Late Payments: Interest on unpaid clean claims will be charged at 1% per month for the first 60 days following non-compliance, increasing to 1.5% per month thereafter.

Claw back Restrictions: Starting January 1, 2028, carriers are restricted from requesting refunds (claw backs) for payments unless done in writing within 12 months of the original payment (or 18 months for coordination of benefits), excluding fraud cases.

Research into social behavior and the link to our gut's microbiome!

Social Behavior May Depend on the Bacteria Living in the Gut A $9 million grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences will help UO researchers understand more deeply how the microbiome influences the development of social behaviors and vice versa. That connection could give insight into neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism in humans

This is such an interesting and thought provoking discussion about AI in healthcare. As a provider, I know that there are ways that AI makes my job easier, but the knowledge I gain in patient interactions isn't something that could be replicated by technology!

Pigeons vs. AI: Should We Ever Replace Doctors With Algorithms? Artificial intelligence is seeping into nearly every field, including health care. But with the technology’s rise in popularity, some researchers are asking: Just because you can use it, should you