WashingtonWashington law gives patients 120 days before ambulance debt transfers
Washington law gives patients and other people responsible for ambulance bills after a motor vehicle accident at least 120 days before the service can transfer the debt to a licensed collector.
What it does
Ambulance services must wait at least 120 days after sending the first bill before transferring accident-related medical debt to a licensed debt collector. The bill must go to the patient and anyone else responsible for paying.
For a pattern of unresolved violations, the insurance commissioner may refer information to the health department. The department may fine the ambulance service or take other authorized action.
Argument forPatients and other bill payers could have more time to review or question an ambulance bill before the service can transfer the debt to a licensed collector.
Argument againstAmbulance services with repeated unresolved violations could face fines or other action, adding compliance costs that may affect their resources.
More detail
An ambulance service must wait at least 120 days after sending the first bill before selling or assigning related medical debt to a licensed debt collector. This covers ambulance debt related to a motor vehicle accident, including when a vehicle strikes or otherwise injures a pedestrian or bicyclist. The first bill must go to the patient and any other person or organization legally or contractually responsible for paying the bill. The 120-day period begins when the ambulance service sends the first bill after care. The service may mail it or send it electronically.
The insurance commissioner may refer information about a pattern of unresolved violations to the health department. The department may fine an ambulance service or take other authorized action. These steps concern ambulance services with a pattern of unresolved violations of the 120-day debt transfer rule. Before referring information, the commissioner may give the service a chance to fix the alleged violations or explain why they did not break the debt transfer rule. A fine or cost recovery may not exceed the applicable legal limit for each violation. After reviewing a possible violation, the health department must tell the commissioner whether it confirmed the violation and what action it took.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 23Effective date 6/11/2026.Latest
- Mar 23Chapter 126, 2026 Laws.Major
- Mar 23Governor Bob Ferguson signed.Became Law
- Mar 12Delivered to Governor.To Governor
- Mar 12President signed.Major
- Mar 11Speaker signed.Passed Senate
- Mar 9Passed final passage; yeas, 93; nays, 2; absent, 0; excused, 3.Passed House
- Vote recorded Final Passage as Amended by the Senate (#4). Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 9House concurred in Senate amendments.
- Feb 28Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage as Amended by the Senate (#31). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 28Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Feb 28Committee amendment(s) adopted with no other amendments.
- Feb 27Placed on second reading consent calendar.Minor
- Feb 25Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- Feb 24HLTC - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).Minor
- Feb 24Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 20Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care at 8:00 AM.
- Jan 26First reading, referred to Health & Long-Term Care.Minor
- Jan 22Third reading, passed; yeas, 89; nays, 2; absent, 0; excused, 7.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#1). Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 22Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Jan 22Floor amendment(s) adopted.
- Jan 221st substitute bill substituted (HCW 25).Major
- Jan 19Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Jan 12By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- 2025
- Mar 19Returned to Rules Committee for second reading.
- Mar 10Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Feb 21Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Feb 19HCW - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.Major
- Feb 19Executive action taken in the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness at 1:30 PM.
- Feb 12Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness at 1:30 PM.
- Jan 28Public hearing in the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness at 1:30 PM.
- Jan 13First reading, referred to Health Care & Wellness.Minor
- Jan 7Prefiled for introduction.Introduced
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