WashingtonWashington sets network standards for Medicaid postacute care
Washington’s Health Care Authority must set postacute care network standards by January 1, 2028, with provider feedback and later requirements for Medicaid managed care contracts.
What it does
The Health Care Authority must set network standards for nursing homes and inpatient rehabilitation facilities, considering local access, provider availability, and how quickly patients need care.
Hospitals, nursing homes, health plans, and their associations take part in shaping the standards through feedback at three stages.
Medicaid managed care contracts must meet postacute care network requirements, including standards for nursing homes and inpatient rehabilitation facilities.
Argument forPatients may get timely postacute care closer to home if standards account for local provider availability and their medical needs.
Argument againstHospitals, nursing homes, health plans, and their associations may have to spend staff time giving feedback at three stages of standards development.
More detail
The Health Care Authority adopts network standards for postacute care. The standards cover nursing homes and inpatient rehabilitation facilities in Medicaid managed care. The standards must consider provider availability, timely care based on patients’ medical needs, and other standards required by federal Medicaid rules. For nursing homes, geographic adequacy cannot extend beyond the managed care plan’s regional service area; for inpatient rehabilitation facilities, it cannot be narrower than that area. The Authority may narrow either geographic standard during development. The Authority must adopt the standards by January 1, 2028.
The Health Care Authority gathers feedback while developing the standards. Feedback concerns the postacute care network standards. Required participants include hospitals, nursing homes, managed care organizations, and their associations. If the Authority includes other provider types, it must include their representatives too. The Authority must seek feedback on initial criteria, draft standards, and final standards before publication and inclusion in managed care contracts.
Managed care organizations must meet postacute care network requirements in their contracts. The requirements include nursing homes and inpatient rehabilitation facilities, as well as any other postacute care services the Authority determines necessary. The Authority may include other postacute care services it determines are needed to improve access to a full range of care for Medicaid enrollees. The requirement applies to contracts or amendments effective on or after July 1, 2028. The Authority includes these requirements in network monitoring and reporting.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 24Effective date 6/11/2026.Latest
- Mar 24Chapter 206, 2026 Laws.Major
- Mar 24Governor Bob Ferguson signed.Became Law
- Mar 12Delivered to Governor.To Governor
- Mar 11Speaker signed.Passed House
- Mar 9President signed.Passed Senate
- Mar 6Third reading, passed; yeas, 96; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 2.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#13). Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 6Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Mar 4Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Mar 2Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Feb 27APP - Majority; do pass.Minor
- Feb 27Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 10:30 AM.
- Feb 26Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 1:30 PM.
- Feb 23Referred to Appropriations.Minor
- Feb 20HCW - Majority; do pass.Minor
- Feb 20Executive action taken in the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness at 8:00 AM.
- Feb 10Public hearing in the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness at 8:30 AM.
- Jan 26First reading, referred to Health Care & Wellness.Minor
- Jan 21Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#8). Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 21Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Jan 21Floor amendment(s) adopted.
- Jan 21Returned to second reading for amendment.
- Jan 21Rules suspended.
- Jan 13Placed on third reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Jan 12By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- 2025
- Apr 27By resolution, returned to Senate Rules Committee for third reading.
- Apr 10Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Apr 8Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Apr 8APP - Majority; do pass with amendment(s) by Health Care & Wellness.Minor
- Apr 8Executive action taken in the House Committee on Appropriations at 10:30 AM.
- Apr 3Public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 1:30 PM.
- Mar 27Referred to Appropriations.Minor
- Mar 25HCW - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).Minor
- Mar 25Executive action taken in the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness at 1:30 PM.
- Mar 18Public hearing in the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness at 1:30 PM.
- Mar 5First reading, referred to Health Care & Wellness.Minor
- Mar 3Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#24). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 3Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Mar 31st substitute bill substituted (HLTC 25).Major
- Feb 26Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Feb 21Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- Feb 20WM - Majority; without recommendation.
- Feb 20Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 4:00 PM.
- Feb 10Referred to Ways & Means.Minor
- Feb 6And refer to Ways & Means.Minor
- Feb 6HLTC - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.Major
- Feb 6Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care at 8:00 AM.
- Jan 28Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care at 10:30 AM.
- Jan 13First reading, referred to Health & Long-Term Care.Minor
- 2024
- Dec 30Prefiled for introduction.Introduced
Healthcare