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 negotiations over health care services 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 filing fees for parties involved in transactions that result in material changes, with a structured fee schedule based on the transaction's value.

Furthermore, the bill outlines the requirements for written notice to the attorney general regarding material changes, including mergers and acquisitions involving hospitals and provider organizations. It specifies that a notice will not be considered filed until the required filing fee is paid. The attorney general is also granted the authority to request additional information from the parties involved in a transaction, which must be provided within a specified timeframe. The bill ensures that information submitted to the attorney general is protected and not publicly disclosed, while also requiring quarterly public notices of pending and completed transactions. Lastly, it mandates notification to 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