This bill requires Washington state Medicaid to cover seizure detection devices as durable medical equipment under specific conditions. It amends existing Medicaid regulations to include these devices in the list of covered services for eligible individuals who need them. The legislation gives the state health department authority to establish rules for when and how these devices are approved and reimbursed. This change directly affects people with seizure disorders who rely on detection technology and their Medicaid coverage. The bill focuses on expanding medical equipment access rather than changing broader eligibility requirements.
HB 2720 imposes a $0.58 monthly fee per enrolled member on health carriers, self-funded employer plans, and multiemployer health plans operating in Washington starting January 2027. This fee funds behavioral health crisis services (like mobile response teams and crisis centers) for people not covered by Medicaid or who aren’t enrolled in Medicaid, addressing gaps where current insurance reimbursement systems fail. The bill creates a dedicated funding source to replace inconsistent billing to insurers, ensuring these critical services remain accessible without relying on Medicaid or taxpayer subsidies. It directly affects health plans covering Washington residents and aims to sustain crisis care access as mandated by existing mental health parity laws.
This bill requires Washington's Department of Social and Health Services to include estimated costs for the individual and family services waiver program in the state's maintenance level budgets starting with the 2026 budget proposal. It directly affects people with developmental disabilities who are waiting for waiver-funded services by mandating annual budget requests for these costs. The key mechanism shifts how these services are funded, requiring the department to submit annual budget requests for waiver expenditures within existing appropriations, rather than seeking separate funding. This change aims to eliminate waitlists by ensuring consistent budgeting for the program. The bill amends existing law to implement this budgeting process.
SB 6191 (Washington State) limits Medicaid coverage for certain gender-affirming care to adults only, specifically prohibiting state Medicaid from covering breast augmentation, sex reassignment surgery, puberty suppression therapy, and hormone therapy for individuals under 18 years old. The bill amends existing law to explicitly exclude these services for minors under 18, while maintaining Medicaid coverage for all gender-affirming treatments for adults. It does not restrict care for minors outside of Medicaid or affect coverage for adults, focusing solely on Medicaid funding for youth under 18. The bill directly affects minors in Washington State who rely on Medicaid for gender-affirming care, restricting access to specific procedures. The law takes effect January 1, 2022, and requires the state authority to adopt implementing rules.
HB 2314 creates a pilot program allowing people with developmental disabilities who live in community settings to access dental care at residential habilitation centers. To qualify, individuals must have high medical/behavioral needs requiring anesthesia or face unavailability of community dental care. The pilot permits short-term 24-hour admissions at these centers, uses Medicaid billing, and requires federal funds to go to the state general fund. The program expires July 1, 2028, with a required legislative report detailing outcomes, including participation numbers and challenges. It directly affects individuals with developmental disabilities who face barriers to routine dental care.
This bill creates a new assessment on employers with 100 or more employees that have at least one worker enrolled in Apple Health (Washington's Medicaid program) for 80+ hours per month. The assessment amount is calculated by multiplying the total "member months" (each month an employee works and is enrolled in Apple Health) by a set Medicaid expansion rate. Employers must pay the assessment quarterly to the Employment Security Department, with funds deposited into the state health care affordability account. This account can only be used for premium and cost-sharing assistance for low-income individuals, as specified by law.
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.
Washington State bill SB 6057 creates a system to identify and recover Medicaid premiums paid for residents who are concurrently enrolled in Medicaid in multiple states. It requires the Medicaid agency to verify addresses using USPS data and manage enrollment changes, then direct recovered funds into a dedicated STEM education account. These funds, deposited into the account after state appropriation, must be used exclusively for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education programs. The bill directly affects Medicaid administration and state funding for STEM education, with no specific beneficiary groups defined beyond the account's purpose.
SB 6093 imposes a tax on large companies' payroll expenses above a threshold (based on the additional Medicare tax threshold) to create the Well Washington Fund. Starting July 1, 2027, 51% of the tax revenue will fund healthcare (including Medicaid), higher education, food assistance programs, and housing initiatives. The bill directly affects large Washington-based companies with significant payroll, while supporting residents relying on these public services. The fund will help offset state budget shortfalls caused by federal funding cuts, with revenues specifically designated for these programs.
HB 2331 requires Washington's Medicaid program to cover specific pediatric and behavioral health screenings and assessments, including autism and developmental delay screenings for children, annual depression screenings for youth aged 12-18, maternal depression screenings for mothers of infants under six months, and mental health assessments for children under five, all subject to available funding. The bill also explicitly prohibits cuts to life-sustaining services like prescription medications, oxygen, and respiratory supplies. This directly affects children, adolescents, and families enrolled in Medicaid by ensuring continued access to these critical health services. The law amends existing Medicaid coverage rules to prevent reductions in pediatric care access, focusing on evidence-based screening requirements.
