The bill amends existing laws related to the Medicaid access program in Washington State, specifically RCW 74.76.020 and RCW 74.76.050. It establishes a timeline for the Washington State Health Care Authority to submit necessary state plan amendments or waiver requests to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) by September 1, 2030. The implementation of the Medicaid access program is contingent upon CMS's final approval of these amendments, the amendment of contracts with managed care organizations, and certification of appropriations by the Office of Financial Management.

Additionally, the bill outlines the process for increasing professional service rates for various medical services that are not reimbursed at or above Medicare rates as of December 31 of the prior year. These rates must be uniformly increased based on the availability of funds, with subsequent adjustments made annually using the Medicare economic index. The authority is also required to study the impact of these rate increases on Medicaid access and report findings to legislative committees. The act will expire if CMS does not provide final approval by January 1, 2032, and the Health Care Authority must notify relevant parties of this expiration.

Statutes affected:
Original bill: 74.76.020, 74.76.030