Consolidated health care (R 2024-05)

The insurance commissioner has adopted consolidated health care rulemaking due to the recent passage of insurance-related legislation and other changes in law. Multiple provisions of health care and insurance regulations in the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) needed to be updated to be consistent with legislation passed and codified in the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) and recent federal law changes. This consolidated rulemaking implemented SSB 5300 (RCW 48.43.0961), ESHB 2041 (Chapter 62, Laws of 2024), SB 5821 (Chapter 215, Laws of 2024), ESHB 1957 (Chapter 314, Laws of 2024), and other related legislation and laws. 

This effort included but was not limited to clarifying prescription drug coverage for behavioral health treatment, updating reimbursement and collaboration requirements related physician assistants, updating the definition of “established relationship” as applied to audio-only telemedicine services, and clarifying coverage and cost sharing requirements for preventive services. This rulemaking impacted the following authorities: WAC 284-170-130, 284-43-0120, 248-43-0160, 284-43-5080, 284-43-5110, 284-43-5642, 284-43-5800 and 284-43-5980.