Protecting consumers from out-of-network health care services charges.
Summary
Establishes balance billing protections for certain ground ambulance services and the allowed amount paid to a nonparticipating ground ambulance services organization for covered ground ambulance services.
Requires health carriers to provide coverage for ground ambulance transport services to behavioral health emergency services providers for enrollees who are experiencing an emergency medical condition.
Requires the Office of the Insurance Commissioner to review the reasonableness of the percentage of the Medicare rate and any trends in changes to ground ambulance service rates and billed charges.
Requires the Washington State Institute for Public Policy to conduct a study on the extent to which other states fund or have considered funding emergency medical services (EMS) substantially or entirely through federal, state, or local governmental funding and the current landscape of EMS in Washington.
From the Substitute House Bill Report (SSB 5986), written by the Legislature's nonpartisan staff. Read the full report ↗
AN ACT Relating to protecting consumers from charges for out-of-network health care services by prohibiting balance billing for ground ambulance services and addressing coverage of transports to treatment for emergency medical conditions;