Healthcare (Telehealth)

in committee · Washington · House Jan 22, 2026

HB 2618: Protecting the clinical autonomy of audiologists.

HB 2618 ensures audiologists in Washington can independently decide whether to provide care via telehealth (like video calls) or in-person, without facing different regulatory standards for each method. It directly affects licensed audiologists who fit and dispense hearing instruments by requiring the state board to establish consistent care standards across all service modalities. The bill amends licensing rules to explicitly prohibit regulations that undermine clinical judgment, mandating that any standards for hearing care apply equally whether delivered remotely or in person. This change prevents new rules from forcing audiologists to follow separate protocols for telehealth versus in-person visits. The bill focuses on preserving professional decision-making authority within existing regulatory frameworks.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProtects clinical autonomy for audiologists in care delivery methods (telehealth/in-person), enabling flexible patient access without regulatory barriers, aligning with improved healthcare access indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Telehealth

Track

signed · Washington · Senate Mar 24, 2026

SB 6226: Protecting the clinical autonomy of audiologists.

SB 6226 (Protecting the clinical autonomy of audiologists) ensures Washington audiologists can use their clinical judgment to decide whether telehealth or in-person care is best for each patient. It amends state law to prevent regulations from creating different standards for telehealth versus in-person services, requiring all rules to be "modality-agnostic." The bill specifically prohibits the licensing board from making rules that block audiologists (and other hearing/speech professionals) from determining appropriate care methods. It allows the board to still set standards for care quality, safety, and documentation, as long as these don’t override clinical decisions about care delivery. This bill directly affects audiologists, hearing aid specialists, and speech-language pathologists providing care in Washington.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill protects audiologists' clinical judgment in care decisions, ensuring modality-agnostic rules to improve patient access and prevent regulatory barriers in healthcare services.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing Telehealth

in committee · Washington · House Jan 16, 2026

HB 2535: Concerning access at public postsecondary educational institutions to medication abortion.

HB 2535 requires all public college and university student health centers in Washington to offer medication abortion access by the 2027-28 academic year, either through telehealth agreements with safety-net abortion providers or other cost-effective methods. Institutions without student health centers must provide referrals to abortion services and train staff on campus resources for telehealth appointments. The bill also mandates that all public colleges maintain a dedicated webpage with clear information on reproductive health services, including scheduling, academic accommodations, and links to state health resources. This law directly affects approximately 196,000 pregnancy-capable students at Washington's public institutions by reducing travel barriers and integrating abortion care into campus health services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates medication abortion access at public colleges via telehealth/referrals, expanding reproductive healthcare access for students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Telehealth Women's Health

Track

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 30, 2026

SB 6305: Concerning the truth in mental health coverage act.

SB 6305 requires health insurance companies in Washington to annually report detailed, standardized data about mental health and substance use coverage. Insurers must submit information on in-network provider availability, reimbursement rates, out-of-network utilization, and access metrics (like youth services and telehealth) by July 1 each year. The state will publish all raw data and create an interactive public dashboard by October, allowing consumers and employers to compare insurers' coverage transparency. This addresses documented gaps where Washington residents face significantly greater barriers accessing mental health care than medical care, as highlighted by recent studies. The bill directly affects all health insurance carriers operating in Washington and aims to improve transparency for patients seeking behavioral health services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires insurers to report mental health coverage data for public transparency, improving consumer access and accountability in mental health services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Mental Health Telehealth

Track

in committee · Washington · House Feb 3, 2026

HB 2658: Concerning the truth in mental health coverage act.

HB 2658 requires health insurance carriers in Washington to annually report detailed data on mental health and substance use coverage, including in-network provider availability, reimbursement rates, out-of-network utilization, and service access by type (youth/adult, in-person/telehealth). This affects all health insurers operating in the state, mandating them to submit standardized data to the state commissioner by July 1st each year. The commissioner must then publish all raw data and create an interactive public dashboard showing comparisons across insurers, focusing on mental health, substance use, and medical/surgical services. The goal is to increase transparency about coverage gaps, as documented by studies showing Washington residents face significantly greater barriers accessing behavioral health care than medical care.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurer transparency on mental health coverage data, improving access and accountability for patients through standardized reporting requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Mental Health Telehealth

Track

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 2204: Concerning the health technology assessment program.

HB 2204 amends Washington State's health technology assessment program to improve how medical technologies (like drugs or devices) are reviewed for coverage in state health programs. It requires the state to prioritize reviewing technologies with Medicare relevance, safety concerns, high costs, or significant usage variations, and mandates systematic evidence-based assessments by federal-designated centers. The bill requires annual reviews of covered technologies (every 18 months), includes public comment periods, and ensures decisions align with federal Medicare guidelines unless new evidence supports a different conclusion. This directly affects Washington's Medicaid programs, healthcare providers, technology manufacturers, and patients by shaping which treatments qualify for state-covered benefits.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates evidence-based reviews of medical tech for coverage, prioritizing safety/cost to improve patient access and program effectiveness in state health programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Medicare Telehealth

Track

in committee · Washington · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 5826: Concerning access at public postsecondary educational institutions to medication abortion.

This bill requires all public Washington universities to provide medication abortion access through student health centers by the 2027-28 academic year, or offer referral services if they lack a health center. It mandates three specific pathways: connecting students to reproductive health programs, partnering with safety-net abortion providers for telehealth, or using other cost-effective methods. Additionally, all institutions must create a dedicated webpage with clear resources for reproductive health services, including appointment scheduling, academic accommodations, and direct links to state abortion care information. The law directly affects over 196,000 college students at Washington's public institutions who face significant travel and wait-time barriers to abortion care.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates medication abortion access via student health centers, expanding reproductive healthcare access at public universities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Telehealth Women's Health

Track

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

Sub-Topics Medicaid Medicare Telehealth

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1677: Concerning access at public postsecondary educational institutions to medication abortion.

HB 1677 requires all public universities in Washington with student health centers to offer medication abortion services by the 2026-27 academic year, either directly or via telehealth referrals. For universities without student health centers, the bill mandates providing confidential referrals to abortion providers, telehealth support, and campus spaces for virtual appointments. It also requires all institutions to maintain a website with clear reproductive health resources, including academic accommodation options for pregnancy-related needs. The bill directly affects approximately 196,000 college students facing significant travel and wait-time barriers to abortion care, aiming to make services as accessible as possible within campus health systems.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates medication abortion access at public universities, expanding reproductive healthcare services and improving patient access to abortion care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Telehealth Women's Health

Track

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5299: Concerning general supervision of diagnostic radiologic technologists, therapeutic radiologic technologists, and magnetic resonance imaging technologists by licensed physicians.

SB 5299 permits licensed physicians to provide "virtual direct supervision" for intravenous contrast procedures performed by diagnostic radiologic technologists, therapeutic radiologic technologists, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologists. This means physicians no longer need to be physically present during these procedures but must be immediately available via real-time audio/video communication and within 30 miles of the facility. The bill amends Washington’s medical practice law (RCW 18.84.020) to specifically allow this telehealth-based supervision model for IV contrast procedures, while requiring physical supervision for all other radiologic procedures. It directly affects these technologists and their supervising physicians by updating supervision requirements to align with modern telehealth capabilities.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows virtual physician supervision for radiologic procedures, improving access to care by reducing physical presence requirements without compromising safety.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Telehealth

Track