Healthcare

signed · Washington · Senate Mar 16, 2026

SB 5915: Concerning the health technology assessment program.

SB 5915 amends Washington State's health technology assessment program to establish clearer processes for reviewing medical technologies. It requires the committee to prioritize technologies based on Medicare recommendations, safety concerns, high costs, or significant usage variations, and mandates systematic evidence-based assessments from designated federal centers. The bill sets timelines for reviews (180 days for initial assessments) and requires transparency through public comment periods and written explanations for denied requests. It directly affects state health programs (like Medicaid) and providers by determining which medical technologies qualify as covered benefits based on safety, effectiveness, and cost evidence.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes evidence-based assessments for medical tech, improving review processes to prioritize safety/cost-effectiveness, strengthening healthcare system efficiency.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Washington · House Mar 14, 2026

HB 2441: Concerning medical insurance premium reimbursements for surviving spouses of line of duty deaths.

HB 2441 requires Washington state to reimburse surviving spouses or domestic partners for medical insurance premiums after a public safety officer or first responder dies "in the course of employment" (as defined by the Department of Labor & Industries). The bill covers premiums for state health plans, Medicare Part A/B, and COBRA insurance, starting from the date of death until the line-of-duty status is confirmed. Survivors must maintain Medicare Part A and B enrollment to qualify for reimbursement, and the reimbursement amount cannot exceed what would be paid under COBRA. This applies only to deaths classified as line-of-duty, not all deaths.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareReimburses premiums for survivors' health coverage, ensuring continuity of care and preventing loss of access after line-of-duty deaths.92% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentReimburses surviving spouses for medical premiums after line-of-duty deaths, expanding post-employment benefits for public safety workers' families.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 6031: Enhancing public safety and enforcement of crimes that impact insurance.

SB 6031 updates Washington state's insurance fraud laws to address modern schemes, including medical billing fraud using incorrect CPT/HCPCS codes. It expands the definition of "insurer" to cover more insurance types and defines specific fraud acts - like submitting false medical claims, misrepresenting services, or embezzling premiums - as a class B felony. The bill requires restitution for insurers and victims of fraud, clarifies where cases can be prosecuted, and targets organized fraud impacting both insurers and consumers. It directly affects insurers, health care providers (through medical coding rules), and insurance consumers by strengthening enforcement and penalties for fraudulent activities.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill classifies insurance fraud as class B felony, strengthens enforcement, and requires restitution, directly advancing criminal justice through sentencing and public safety measures.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill targets medical billing fraud (specifically false CPT/HCPCS claims) to protect insurers and victims, strengthening integrity of healthcare insurance system and preventing misuse of healthcare funds.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 6297: Making temporary staffing services provided to nonprofit behavioral health entities exempt from retail sales tax.

SB 6297 exempts temporary staffing services purchased by nonprofit behavioral health entities from Washington state's retail sales tax. This directly affects nonprofits providing mental health, substance use, or similar behavioral health services that rely on temporary staff. The bill amends state tax law to exclude these specific staffing costs from taxable "retail sales," reducing operational costs for qualifying organizations. The change applies only to services used directly by the nonprofits in their behavioral health operations, not to general business expenses.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill exempts nonprofit behavioral health staffing from sales tax, reducing operational costs for essential mental health services. This tax relief supports public service funding and aligns with fiscal responsibility for community health programs.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExempts staffing costs for mental health nonprofits from sales tax, reducing operational costs and directly supporting behavioral health service delivery.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 6102: Aligning the quality assurance fee for the ambulance transport fund with federal regulations.

SB 6102 adjusts how ambulance transport providers in Washington pay a quality assurance fee to align with federal requirements. It changes the fee calculation method to annually reflect projected revenue and emergency transport volumes, ensuring the fee amount matches federal funding rules. Ambulance providers directly pay this quarterly fee based on their emergency transports, and the collected funds supplement (not replace) Medicaid payments for emergency ambulance services. The bill specifies that fees must stay within 1% of projected amounts, with adjustments if discrepancies exceed this threshold. This ensures state ambulance funding remains compliant with federal regulations for Medicaid reimbursement.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill ensures ambulance fees supplement Medicaid payments for emergency services, maintaining funding alignment with federal requirements without replacing Medicaid coverage.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 6161: Concerning department of health information on dementia.

SB 6161 requires Washington's Department of Health to include dementia risk reduction and diagnosis information in public health materials and websites when relevant to existing campaigns. It also mandates adding this information to materials for healthcare providers. The law directs the department to consult dementia experts and make all updated content available in all languages currently used by the department. This applies to materials about health topics linked to dementia risk, such as exercise, nutrition, and chronic disease management.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates inclusion of dementia risk reduction info in public health materials, enhancing preventive health access and patient education.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 6323: Concerning medical insurance premium reimbursements for surviving spouses of line of duty deaths.

SB 6323 requires the Washington state retirement system to reimburse surviving spouses and dependent children for medical insurance premiums when a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or public safety employee dies in the line of duty. The bill adds specific reimbursement coverage for COBRA, Medicare Part A, and Medicare Part B premiums, starting from the date of death until the line-of-duty determination is made. To qualify, survivors must maintain enrollment in both Medicare Part A and Part B. This amendment to RCW 41.26.510 expands existing benefits for families of public safety personnel who die while performing official duties.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareReimburses medical insurance premiums for survivors of line-of-duty deaths, expanding coverage continuity and ensuring access to healthcare services.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill expands medical insurance benefits for survivors of line-of-duty deaths, strengthening worker family protections under employment standards for public safety employees.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 5877: Making a technical correction to the surcharges authorized for certified anesthesiologist assistants.

SB 5877 makes a technical correction to include certified anesthesiologist assistants explicitly in the existing $70 annual surcharge for license renewals. This surcharge, collected by the Department of Health, funds the physician health program and was previously only formally listed for physicians and physician assistants. The bill updates the language in three state code sections to ensure anesthesiologist assistants are clearly covered under the same surcharge mechanism. It does not change the surcharge amount, funding purpose, or requirements for anesthesiologist assistants. The correction ensures administrative accuracy for this specific healthcare profession.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill ensures anesthesiologist assistants are included in existing surcharge funding for physician health program, expanding coverage under current healthcare funding mechanism.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 5904: Concerning the use of nursing titles.

SB 5904 restricts the use of specific nursing titles in Washington State. Only licensed registered nurses (R.N.), advanced practice nurse practitioners (A.P.R.N.), and licensed practical nurses (L.P.N.) may use those titles or their abbreviations. The bill prohibits all others - including unlicensed individuals and nonhuman entities - from using these titles or similar designations to imply licensed status. It includes an exception for Christian Science nurses listed in the Christian Science Journal, provided they do not claim to be licensed nurses. The law takes effect June 30, 2027.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRestricts nursing titles to licensed professionals, preventing misleading claims and protecting patient safety in healthcare services.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 5916: Concerning nonopioid drugs for the treatment of pain.

Washington State's SB 5916 requires health plans and managed care organizations to treat nonopioid pain medications equally with opioids in coverage. Starting January 1, 2027, plans cannot label nonopioid drugs as "nonpreferred" when opioids are preferred, or apply stricter rules like prior authorization to nonopioids compared to opioids. The bill also mandates that the state develop an educational pamphlet about nonopioid pain treatment options, including their benefits and limitations. This directly affects health plans covering employees and their dependents, ensuring nonopioid alternatives face no coverage barriers relative to opioids.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires equal insurance coverage for nonopioid pain meds vs opioids, expanding patient access to alternatives and mandating educational materials on options.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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