Delaying the use of the ASAM 4 criteria, treatment criteria for addictive, substance related, and co-occurring conditions.

HB 1469 delays the implementation deadline for updated substance use disorder treatment criteria in Washington State Medicaid programs. It changes the required adoption date from January 1, 2026, to January 1, 2028, for Medicaid health plans and insurers. The bill requires the Health Care Authority and Insurance Commissioner to jointly decide whether to adopt new American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) criteria and set implementation dates. This extension provides more time for providers to adjust to updated treatment standards without altering the criteria themselves.