H-2970.1
HOUSE BILL 2546
State of Washington
69th Legislature
2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Simmons and Macri
Read first time 01/16/26. Referred to Committee on Health Care & Wellness.
AN ACT Relating to standardizing overpayment recovery requirements; amending RCW 48.43.600 ; and providing an effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 48.43.600 and 2025 c 227 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) Except in the case of fraud, or as provided in subsections (2) and (3) of this section, a carrier may not: (a) Request a refund from a health care provider of a payment previously made to satisfy a claim unless it does so in writing to the provider (( within twenty-four months after the date that the payment was made or, in the case of mental health and substance use disorder services as defined in RCW 48.43.766 , )) within six months after the date the payment was made; or (b) request that a contested refund be paid any sooner than six months after receipt of the request. Any such request must specify why the carrier believes the provider owes the refund. If a provider fails to contest the request in writing to the carrier within thirty days of its receipt, the request is deemed accepted and the refund must be paid.