The bill amends RCW 71.24.064 to provide greater flexibility in the partnership access line assessment, specifically allowing for the inclusion of certain administrative costs in the assessment calculations. Starting July 1, 2021, the authority will determine the annual operating costs for various mental health programs, including the partnership access lines and psychiatric consultation line, and will calculate the proportion of clients covered by Medicaid programs. The bill outlines how costs will be shared among health carriers, self-funded arrangements, and employers, ensuring that the state covers costs for Medicaid-administered programs.

A significant change in the bill is the insertion that allows reasonable costs for the administration of the assessment by a contracted third-party administrator to be included in the total assessment calculation. However, the authority's other administrative costs for these programs will not be included in the assessments. The bill also mandates the development of performance measures for the partnership access lines and requires the University of Washington's department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences to provide quarterly reports on demographic data, performance measures, and systemic barriers to services.

Statutes affected:
Original bill: 71.24.064