[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6364081,"mediaKeyId","2165373-fe8620347842bbeec64077c87b48f37d","parentId",2165373,"title","Debate over dental-insurer reforms: providers back network equity and loss-ratio limits, insurers warn of higher costs","audioSeconds",2142,"startMs",5045290,"endMs",7188000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2165373-fe8620347842bbeec64077c87b48f37d&start=5045&end=7188","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2165373-fe8620347842bbeec64077c87b48f37d/thumbnail_5045290.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6364081/Washington/Debate-over-dental-insurer-reforms-providers-back-network-equity-and-loss-ratio-limits-insurers-warn-of-higher-costs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6364081-9ff5ba158593f8b9d156c74fc44dfe43/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183188&Signature=XCT4L9QnknhVlEJHY~b4uuoeliIBbbxHa6iFhM1ltu7CEnK6tk5-A0swTEa7VpZ3dZgI8OW4QJtkNMDTnO193JVZ12zHeK6PeEbFHH1HOSAxbc4NIiBdFkWCVq6msB8cCaaHtoFDIfH4JlZwT-s4kqjPBt9mwESbomNWLCBuqkCgZAuKN-9hhwkGpUMtxTuYJRz~Z88gNH~jpldsY6j6zgm-RZA3xpVhhHcNOZRHvGwG-PCwxzkGa50wzcQ1GPs0Ds57geMddX9irlnG9QYsgEEGEX5Qr8fZLM4C27dgBlS923YCdk7QSQMH8lnRCeNZ9N5rqpeQbL3~4oZupjmpDQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","House Health Care & Wellness","date","2025-01-29T00:00:00Z","article","The House Health Care & Wellness Committee heard competing testimony Wednesday on House Bill 1535, which would change several contracting and consumer-protection rules for stand-alone dental insurers, including limits on insurer practices that stakeholders say restrict patient choice, a proposed dental minimum loss ratio of 85 percent, and added rate-review authority.

Sponsor testimony characterized the bill as restoring equity to the dental-insurance market and protecting patients who pay premiums but lose access to long-standing family dentists when a carrier's network rules change. Dentists who testified described being forced into production models or losing long-term patients when they left Delta Dental of Washington; they urged reforms that would prevent carriers from denying coverage for procedures performed the same day or from using contract terms to force unfavorable business models.

The Washington State Dental Association and practicing dentists identified same-day denials (carriers refusing to pay for a covered procedure performed the same day as another covered procedure) and network-termination consequences as examples of practices that harm patients. \"There is no medical justification for this restriction. It is simply to allow delay of payout for claims and to hold on to patients' premiums longer,\" said Dr. Lisa Egbert. Several dentists told the committee they lost a large share of patients after leaving a dominant carrier.

Insurers, brokers and some nonprofit groups opposed the bill. Delta Dental of Washington's CEO and trustees filed testimony opposing key provisions; industry witnesses warned the bill could increase premiums, prompt carriers to exit some markets, reduce network participation by dentists and expose patients to balance billing because dentists could be paid the same whether in network or out of network. Broker and employer representatives said parity between in-network and out-of-network reimbursements would remove the incentive to negotiate network discounts and could drive up cost for consumers and employers.

Nonprofit and community groups likewise raised concerns that increased premiums would fall hardest on low-income residents, exchange enrollees and small employers. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner said it was willing to engage in technical discussions, that some same-day denials warrant review, and that it had met with stakeholders; OIC cautioned that some provisions could increase patient balance-billing risk and asked for more analysis of a proposed loss-ratio standard.

Witnesses urged further stakeholder negotiation; committee staff and the OIC said they planned follow-up meetings. No committee vote or amendments were recorded at the hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Health Care & Wellness - 1/29/2025 1:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 1535, which would change contracting and consumer-protection rules for stand-alone dental insurers and establish a minimum dental loss ratio, drew sharply divided testimony from dentists, insurers, brokers and community groups.","taxTitle","Health Care & Wellness, House of Representatives, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20262,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6364091,"Lawmakers hear arguments for and against pay-parity bill for APRNs and physician assistants",963,828660,1792395,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2165373-fe8620347842bbeec64077c87b48f37d&start=828&end=1792","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2165373-fe8620347842bbeec64077c87b48f37d/thumbnail_828660.jpg","/articles/6364091/Washington/Lawmakers-hear-arguments-for-and-against-pay-parity-bill-for-APRNs-and-physician-assistants","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6364091-ec13e99d094481e2034501e823b1b042/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183188&Signature=Kpfq2caNNoRzh~O3Lf8d9E7gcUbD96qjuylV4SQUGOdI95vGm3BxxCT7jyLaebKoxoFOdFavZyzNH5sDVtOvjqAssoSOA8-tGSOcrrWlwYl5IjcdSGGX4GZov9CbEQg6oDBgckxSEadPjNvlm7nM6DixkSzuNlKbC0svuAFji3AdLN7jGfOKoK67eGOAlVwUrNBimmumpcNKwjFneufbdD8v-7CLHNHQx0doa9Ol9E26sK6oMnsMRPPTU97asW4MM8-CzOSgRZ-jc~6T26pog5NlJMl~0gYq2ww-ZyqLQAmaCKqa-owHPI9CsVJmVqGxstobJMS~J-kLNgYyB4mUtw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Health Care & Wellness Committee heard extensive public testimony on House Bill 1430, a proposal that would bar private health carriers from reimbursing contracted advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) or physician assistants (PAs) at a lower rate than contracted physicians for the same service in the same service area for plans issued or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2026.

Staff described the bill's scope: it would not permit insurers to reduce physician reimbursement to meet parity and would not apply to APRNs or PAs employed by health maintenance organizations; it would also require the Office of the Insurance Commissioner to report by July 1, 2027 on the policy's impacts on reimbursement and costs.

Prime sponsor Representative Tara Simmons, a former registered nurse, framed HB 1430 as a workforce and access bill. \"They have been vital members of our workforce,\" Simmons said, and she argued evidence shows care quality and outcomes by nurse practitioners and PAs are equivalent to physicians in many settings. Supporters told the committee that reductions by commercial insurers in recent years
(from about 100% to roughly 85% of physician rates) have contributed to clinic closures, fewer providers accepting insurance and reduced access, especially in rural areas.

Nurse practitioners, physician assistants and allied professional groups provided much of the in-person and remote testimony. Louise Kaplan, a family nurse practitioner and member of ARNPs United, said the reduced reimbursement \"makes it difficult for practices to remain financially solvent\" and urged the committee to restore reimbursement to prior levels. Testimony from rural practice owners and clinicians described clinics that closed or reduced services after reimbursement cuts.

Opposition came from insurers, some medical groups and small-business representatives. Jennifer Ziegler of the Association of Washington Healthcare Plans cautioned that mandating parity in the commercial market could raise premiums; she noted individual-market premium increases in recent years and urged lawmakers to consider the bill's effect on premiums. The Washington State Medical Association said carriers should have latitude to set contracted rates across professions, citing differences in education, training and practice scope; a medical-student testifier said parity could disincentivize pursuing a physician pathway.

Other witnesses, including labor, nursing and rural-health advocates, argued parity would improve network stability and rural access; researchers presented evidence that equivalent reimbursement in the state's workers' compensation system had increased availability of ARNP providers without raising costs within that system.

The committee heard many personal accounts of clinics that reduced services or closed in part because of reimbursement cuts, and several witnesses urged a targeted approach to support providers in underserved specialties and areas. No committee vote was taken during the hearing; participants and sponsors indicated follow-up work on targeted carve-outs and data-reporting language would continue.","The House Health Care & Wellness Committee heard broad public testimony on House Bill 1430, which would require private health carriers to reimburse contracted APRNs and PAs at no less than the amount paid to contracted physicians for the same service in the same service area.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6364086,"Committee considers stricter clinical-criteria and parity rules for mental-health coverage",1974,2755815,4729935,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2165373-fe8620347842bbeec64077c87b48f37d&start=2755&end=4729","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2165373-fe8620347842bbeec64077c87b48f37d/thumbnail_2755815.jpg","/articles/6364086/Washington/Committee-considers-stricter-clinical-criteria-and-parity-rules-for-mental-health-coverage","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6364086-802a64806abb24b0fb97c111fd3d1b9d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183188&Signature=cLxPTkDW11n4XbbiHqAQBqUrmmzVL0pEwRQ1h7lytQ2ofUpwUI63uK8wCNtM8AKcq5BbL7cUrcOJBa1iQjQvwxVNt-1koUMdRQVriRExd1jQGfB~SqJKv7udK53-ogQOsgOjR97Whw2cZ0BVhbAgYEWzmzNqafzbbKHFWifgKPSnAc4Bbf5lq6cITZld7pmT-swbwdpFrFqGSCtQ8xZKD~pvDT1N87F3g1U2lEV~Gm4To7Tm-pul0Wk55Nt4xaOnpKqL5SMUnrLwNw2AL2Bm1xn44cKhEoXljQtojI9nRqGR6bShQh3rgJ2rIjSoy3bpFI5Bta4WxD9PLerwd0etpQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Health Care & Wellness Committee opened public hearing on House Bill 1432, a comprehensive rewrite and recodification of the state's mental health parity provisions that would require health carriers to use transparent, evidence-based clinical review criteria when making utilization-management and medical-necessity decisions for mental-health and substance-use disorder services.

Staff summarized the bill as: repealing existing parity language across carrier types and recodifying the rules in a single chapter applicable to all health carriers; expanding definitions for medically necessary clinical review criteria and \"generally accepted standards\" of care; requiring clinical criteria to be consistent with nonprofit professional association placement criteria (for age-appropriate levels of care); prohibiting prior authorization for a new episode's initial evaluation and up to six consecutive treatment visits; capping the time carriers may seek repayment for mental-health payments at 180 days except for fraud; and authorizing the Insurance Commissioner to assess penalties and to adopt rules implementing parity compliance and network-reimbursement remedies.

Prime sponsor described personal lived experience and framed the bill as correcting opaque insurer medical-necessity criteria that delay or deny care. Supporters, including patient advocates, clinicians and specialty psychiatry organizations, said the bill would replace proprietary, plan-purchased criteria with publicly available, evidence-based standards (witnesses cited LOCUS and similar nonprofit criteria), improve timely access to care and reduce premature service termination.

Clinicians and system leaders described adverse outcomes from denials and delays: a psychologist said a patient in crisis who could not access covered mental-health care later died by suicide; a child-psychiatry witness described families paying thousands out of pocket to obtain needed services. Providers and advocates urged inclusion of more specific diagnostic manuals for young children and stronger data/reporting requirements to measure workforce and access impacts.

Opponents including insurer representatives and plan associations said the bill is complex, raised concerns about implementation alongside federal parity requirements and noted possible consequences for rates and network adequacy; they asked for technical changes and additional time for rulemaking. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner said it supports the intent and offered technical amendments, expressed concern about a near-term effective date, and asked for clarification on provisions that would allow OIC to require rate adjustments tied to network adequacy. No committee vote was taken; the record shows stakeholders and OIC discussing technical edits and an expectation of further negotiation.","House Bill 1432, intended to strengthen mental-health parity and require evidence-based clinical-review criteria across health carriers, received wide support from clinicians and patient advocates and technical pushback from insurers at a public hearing.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6364096,"Committee considers extending hospital medical-record retention to 26 years",449,378885,828440,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2165373-fe8620347842bbeec64077c87b48f37d&start=378&end=828","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2165373-fe8620347842bbeec64077c87b48f37d/thumbnail_378885.jpg","/articles/6364096/Washington/Committee-considers-extending-hospital-medical-record-retention-to-26-years","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6364096-f1312ade96d7c8a49beb18b70d9f1f3d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183188&Signature=d63x9O4pN6XNwmEgjvYaBZz4RcbH-2wzqCDeooBaVVrd4BWd9leOwPn3SpDPTVdX2uRUn6IVW1cBwQXZlV75dFrnCQbK~A96thvmbE0H2Vuj7OAC4XdyaeDqHxODbtIfRqtiK5S07O~bfRc304019aLPPpFZLjRzrGl2U5iUsc20LbPWXnlkgrjuTXObuyeQ2GjMwxKjnJNJpLPTIAyJFlcw82VBBJg2xBKqLTEwxktD4aoouLsRnHis1HfAS3A30953j2r1ipNTf4eXYEyvxkQdeg046qMCXf3NOb2bDzw0dGRvQrYdugtt~1UsOdhIuIWZtaZ~cWFqd9G36ywtFg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Health Care & Wellness Committee took public testimony on House Bill 1394, a measure to set a 26-year minimum retention period for hospital medical records.

Staff told the committee current law requires hospitals to retain adult records for 10 years after most recent discharge and pediatric records for three years after the patient turns 18 or 10 years after most recent discharge, whichever is later. HB 1394 would make the retention period 26 years from the date the record was created for both adults and minors; the bill would apply to records created on or after the bill's effective date and to records still in a hospital's custody on that date, but not to records already destroyed.

Sponsor testimony said the bill was brought forward by the University of Washington Medical System and the Washington State Health Information Management Association to streamline record-retention rules and reduce administrative cost. A sponsor said larger providers told the committee that incomplete historical discharge data sometimes prevented them from using existing disposal rules and that old paper files can cost institutions \"about $750,000 per year\" to store.

Hospital system representatives described operational challenges and proposed minor language tweaks. Rashi Gupta of UW Medicine said the bill would help when discharge dates are unclear, and Providence Health's Teddy McGuire described a requested amendment to clarify what constitutes a \"medical record\" inside a consolidated patient file so that providers are not required to retain an entire file until the last visit dates older than 26 years. Terry McDaniel of MultiCare said his system manages more than 145,000 boxes of health records and supported the 26-year period as reasonable.

Supporters framed HB 1394 as an efficiency and records-management reform; the committee heard no formal opposition during the public hearing but did note stakeholders sought technical clarifications. The hearing record shows ongoing discussions between providers and staff; no action or vote was taken at the hearing.","House Bill 1394 would set a uniform 26-year retention period for hospital medical records, replacing the current adult/minor-specific schedules; UW Medicine and other major health systems testified in support citing storage costs and administrative burdens.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6364101,"Committee hears bill to allow counselors to share behavioral-health disclosures for care coordination",358,19175,377685,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2165373-fe8620347842bbeec64077c87b48f37d&start=19&end=377","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2165373-fe8620347842bbeec64077c87b48f37d/thumbnail_19175.jpg","/articles/6364101/Washington/Committee-hears-bill-to-allow-counselors-to-share-behavioral-health-disclosures-for-care-coordination","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6364101-210bee3b051f27899d5f984eaf126ded/orig.mp4?Expires=1771183188&Signature=Ks7nrLihyew-2IV5mphllMMlmbOtqiOawrhoVgYsem1h3VdNO3ymgZqJnJUtJSBDKe3lz6bvEehighmYT6gd9WMZ2fsR9ha1q9joEVKoIcZA9YHsV9SRihzUio-KiEogMhOzkVZUSv5ndUxuMXoSRQgP4dNhz1dXVq0DWuHUgqPU9YtHpC32xaqaVG4doknqkASL4DMNiIjs3vUhzgMY5VWNlskNXsFHkH8kiOL95BiS4Cxv38Gv9cQ8snw4Qn1xdpe4sFs46i5wOJlnMuZziYuB5QaqIrZ16VcIzq7K3Y044xmZf9E7I~IEEg0d00iwQyuya7c1Sul55RV5sHlQAg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Health Care & Wellness Committee on Wednesday opened public hearings on House Bill 1287, which would let certain behavioral health professionals disclose client disclosure-statement acknowledgments and related treatment information to other health-care providers for care coordination.

The bill was introduced in a staff report as a change to current statute that now requires clients to sign written acknowledgments that they received disclosure statements covering treatment choice, the right to refuse treatment and confidentiality obligations. The staff summary said HB 1287 would allow those acknowledgments and related information to be disclosed to the same extent other mental-health information may be shared under the state
Uniform Health Care Information Act (chapter 70.02 RCW).

Prime sponsor Alicia Rule, who said she is a mental-health professional, told the committee the bill is a practical step to ease coordination between counselors, social workers, marriage and family therapists and certified counselors. \"The reality of mental health professionals is that they are slammed,\" Rule said, adding that the bill would make it easier \"for one mental health professional to talk to another mental health professional in order to get the job done and really wrap around and help the folks that need us.\" The sponsor said the bill has no fiscal impact.

Supporters including the Health Care Authority and community providers said the bill removes an unnecessary statutory barrier that prevents counselors from sharing information in transitions of care. Sean O'Neil, testifying in support, said the change would allow those professions \"to share a client's health information with other health care providers treating the same patient\" and noted that disclosures would remain protected under HIPAA and the state's Uniform Health Care Information Act.

Community behavioral health leaders said requiring written consent when a patient is transferred from hospital to community care has been a barrier to continuity of care for people with serious mental illness or substance-use disorders. Wendy Sisk, CEO of Peninsula Behavioral Health, said written consent requirements have been \"a significant barrier to providing care for this really vulnerable population\" and that the bill would treat counselors \"like other health care providers.\"

A law-enforcement perspective surfaced in public testimony. Teddy Chow, who identified himself as a prosecutor for Okanogan County speaking not in official capacity, said the change could allow earlier sharing of information \"prior to full decompensation,\" which he said could \"increase public safety because officers would be less likely to shoot these people.\" The committee did not take action Wednesday; staff closed public testimony and moved to the next bill on the agenda.

House Bill 1287 applies to mental health counselors, marriage and family therapists, social workers and certified counselors and was described as an agency-request bill from the Health Care Authority.

The committee record includes staff explanations, sponsor remarks and multiple public witnesses in support; no formal vote or amendment was recorded during the hearing.","The House Health Care & Wellness Committee heard testimony on House Bill 1287, which would allow certain behavioral health professionals to disclose client acknowledgments and related information to the same extent as other mental health information under the state's Uniform Health Care Information Act to improve care coordination.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Debate over dental-insurer reforms: providers back network equity and loss-ratio limits, insurers warn of higher costs

Lawmakers hear arguments for and against pay-parity bill for APRNs and physician assistants

Committee considers stricter clinical-criteria and parity rules for mental-health coverage

Committee considers extending hospital medical-record retention to 26 years

Committee hears bill to allow counselors to share behavioral-health disclosures for care coordination