The bill aims to strengthen health care market standards in Washington by amending existing laws and introducing new provisions. Key amendments include the definition of "affiliated with," which clarifies the relationships between entities in terms of control and ownership. The bill also expands the definition of "contracting affiliation" to include joint negotiations over health care service rates and introduces a new definition for "health care services" that encompasses a wide range of medical and therapeutic services. Additionally, it establishes a new section that mandates the attorney general to assess and collect a filing fee for parties involved in transactions that result in material changes, with specific fee schedules based on the transaction value.

Furthermore, the bill outlines the requirements for written notice to the attorney general regarding material changes, including mergers and acquisitions, and specifies the information that must be included in such notices. It also stipulates that the attorney general can request additional information within a specified timeframe and that transactions cannot proceed until compliance with these requests is certified. The bill ensures that information submitted to the attorney general is protected and not publicly disclosed, while also requiring the attorney general to publish quarterly notices of pending and completed transactions. Lastly, it includes provisions for notifying the secretary of state when a nonprofit corporation is involved in a material change transaction.

Statutes affected:
Original bill: 19.390.020, 19.390.030, 19.390.050
Substitute bill: 19.390.020, 19.390.030, 43.10.215, 19.390.050, 19.390.070
Engrossed substitute: 19.390.020, 19.390.030, 43.10.215, 19.390.050, 19.390.070
Bill as passed Legislature: 19.390.020, 19.390.030, 43.10.215, 19.390.050, 19.390.070
Session law: 19.390.020, 19.390.030, 43.10.215, 19.390.050, 19.390.070