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

signed · Washington · Senate Mar 14, 2026

SB 6183: Concerning coverage for HIV antiviral drugs.

SB 6183 requires most health plans in Washington State to cover all FDA-approved HIV antiviral drugs without prior authorization, step therapy, or other extra approval steps starting January 1, 2027. This directly affects people with HIV who rely on these medications and their health insurers. The law allows plans to restrict coverage for certain drug versions if at least one therapeutically equivalent option is fully covered without hurdles. It applies to all health plans subject to state insurance regulations, ensuring broader access to essential HIV treatment.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates coverage of all FDA-approved HIV antiviral drugs without prior authorization or step therapy, directly improving patient access to essential medications.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

passed · Washington · House Mar 12, 2026

HB 2319: Renaming certain state residential facilities for persons with developmental disabilities.

HB 2319 renames three state facilities currently referred to as "schools" in statutes to "residential habilitation centers" to better reflect their actual purpose of providing habilitative support (like daily living skills training and medical services) rather than education. Specifically, Fircrest School, Rainier School, and Yakima Valley School become Fircrest Residential Habilitation Center, Rainier Residential Habilitation Center, and Yakima Valley Residential Habilitation Center, respectively, while Lakeland Village retains its existing name. The bill clarifies that these name changes are purely administrative - no services, operations, or funding access will be altered. It also updates related statutes to use the new facility names consistently across state law.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRenames facilities providing medical services to reflect healthcare focus, aligning with accurate representation of habilitative health support per bill summary.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

passed · Washington · House Mar 12, 2026

HB 1784: Concerning certified medical assistants.

This bill updates the specific duties that various types of medical assistants, including certified, hemodialysis, phlebotomist, and registered medical assistants, are authorized to perform in Washington state. It details a range of tasks from fundamental procedures like sterilizing equipment and taking vital signs, to more advanced clinical duties such as performing venipuncture, administering certain medications, and assisting with minor office surgeries. The legislation also specifies limitations on these duties, such as restrictions on administering experimental drugs, and outlines supervision requirements by a healthcare practitioner for tasks like establishing intravenous lines or treating syphilis via telemedicine. By defining these roles, the bill impacts medical assistants and the healthcare practitioners who delegate and supervise their work.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands certified medical assistants' authorized duties to include advanced clinical tasks like venipuncture and medication administration, improving healthcare delivery capacity and supporting medical professionals.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

Track

signed · Washington · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 2363: Concerning temporary exemptions from licensure for certain applicants for a license to practice music therapy.

This bill creates a temporary exemption allowing individuals applying for a music therapy license to provide services under a licensed therapist's supervision for up to six months. It directly affects applicants who have met all licensing requirements except passing the required exam. The exemption applies only if they do not represent themselves as licensed music therapists and are working toward full licensure. This change modifies Washington's existing licensing law to streamline entry into the profession while maintaining public safety standards. The provision takes effect January 1, 2028.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables temporary practice under supervision for music therapy applicants, improving access to mental health services by streamlining licensure pathways for healthcare professionals.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Washington · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 2531: Aligning the quality assurance fee for the ambulance transport fund with federal regulations.

HB 2531 adjusts how ambulance transport providers in Washington pay a quality assurance fee to align with federal Medicaid reimbursement rules. It replaces the previous 5.5% fee calculation with a new method based on federal reimbursement rates and actual emergency transport data, requiring annual adjustments. The fee funds emergency ambulance services through Medicaid reimbursements without reducing existing state funding, and providers must pay quarterly based on their prior-quarter transports. This directly affects all ambulance transport providers in Washington who serve Medicaid patients.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill aligns ambulance fee with federal Medicaid rules to fund emergency services without reducing state funding, ensuring stable healthcare infrastructure for ambulance transport.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Washington · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 2088: Concerning the dietitian licensure compact.

HB 2088 creates a multi-state licensure compact for dietitians, allowing licensed professionals to practice across participating states without obtaining separate licenses in each location. The bill establishes a "compact privilege" that recognizes a dietitian's home-state license as valid in other member states, eliminating the need for duplicate licensing. It directly affects licensed dietitians (especially those relocating, including military members and spouses), patients seeking care across state lines, and participating states' regulatory systems. Key mechanisms include standardized requirements for practice, shared data systems for disciplinary information, and provisions to protect public health while reducing administrative burdens on both professionals and states.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves licensing barriers for dietitians across states, improving patient access to specialized care and supporting healthcare provider mobility.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Washington · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 2492: Requiring state registered apprenticeships in the building and construction trades to provide behavioral health and wellness training.

HB 2492 requires state-registered plumbing apprenticeships in Washington to include four hours of approved behavioral health and wellness training as part of their continuing education requirements. This applies directly to apprentices in the plumbing construction trade who need to maintain their certification. The training must cover topics like destigmatizing mental health, recognizing distress, suicide prevention, substance use awareness, and connecting to resources. It modifies existing certification rules (RCW 18.106.070) to allow these hours to count toward the required 24 hours of annual continuing education. The bill does not create new licensing standards but integrates mental health support into existing apprenticeship training.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates 4 hours of behavioral health training covering mental health destigmatization, suicide prevention, and resource access for apprentices, directly advancing mental health services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Washington · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 2113: Concerning the supervision of diagnostic radiologic technologists, therapeutic radiologic technologists, and magnetic resonance imaging technologists.

HB 2113 updates Washington State's supervision rules for diagnostic radiologic technologists, therapeutic radiologic technologists, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologists. It allows these professionals to perform certain injections (like IV contrast) under virtual supervision via real-time video (excluding audio-only) or direct supervision by physicians, advanced nurses, or physician assistants. The bill also requires trained clinical staff to be present during IV contrast administration to handle potential adverse reactions. These changes specifically affect technologists working under physician oversight in medical settings.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllows radiologic technologists to perform IV contrast under virtual supervision, improving access to imaging services without requiring constant physician presence.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare