H-1508.2
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1589
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2025 Regular Session
By House Health Care & Wellness (originally sponsored by Representatives Bronoske, Macri, Shavers, Pollet, and Reed)
READ FIRST TIME 02/21/25.
AN ACT Relating to the relationships between health carriers and contracting providers; amending RCW 48.49.135 ; adding new sections to chapter 48.43 RCW; creating a new section; prescribing penalties; providing an effective date; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 48.49.135 and 2022 c 263 s 18 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) When determining the adequacy of a proposed provider network or the ongoing adequacy of an in-force provider network, the commissioner must review the carrier's proposed provider network or in-force provider network to determine whether the network includes a sufficient number of contracted providers of emergency medicine, anesthesiology, pathology, radiology, neonatology, surgery, hospitalist, intensivist(( [,] )) , and diagnostic services, including radiology and laboratory services at or for the carrier's contracted in-network hospitals or ambulatory surgical facilities to reasonably ensure enrollees have in-network access to covered benefits delivered at that facility.