This bill adds a new section to chapter 48.43 RCW that requires carriers (health insurers) to give advance written or electronic notice to contracted health care providers and facilities of any "significant payer contract modification." Notices must be sent to the contract representative at least 90 days before the modification's effective date, identify the exact provider contract and the specific modification language, provide enough information to assess financial impact, be labeled as required, be sent to the person designated in the provider contract, and inform providers/facilities they must accept or reject the modification in writing or electronically during the notice period. Carriers also must publish a summary of all such notices in a single place on their website and in carrier newsletters no less than 90 days before the effective date. The bill defines "significant payer contract modification" by listing types of changes that qualify (for example, decreases in fees or changes to payment methodology, site-of-service restrictions, bundling or separation of services, changes to prior authorization or claims processes, restrictions on contracted components, or procedural changes likely to increase administrative expenses) and excludes changes required by federal or state law or payment policies for new technologies or services added since the last negotiation. If a carrier fails to comply with the notice requirements, the modification is void, and any provider contract provision that conflicts with the new section is void. The bill reenacts and amends RCW 41.05.017 to make certain health plans subject to a specified list of RCW provisions and to section 2 of this act. Uncertainties in the provided text include the specific new section number added to chapter 48.43 RCW, the full statutory definition of "provider contract" in RCW 48.43.730, any effective date for the new requirements, and whether there are additional enforcement mechanisms, rulemaking authorities, or penalties beyond voiding modifications; the broader chapter context referenced in the reenacted RCW 41.05.017 is also not shown in the extracted facts.

If enacted, health insurers would have to give contracted providers and facilities a clear, written notice at least 90 days before any major change that cuts payments, changes how payments are calculated, shifts site-of-service rules, bundles services, changes prior authorization or claims processes, or otherwise likely raises administrative burden. Insurers would also have to publish summaries of those notices on a single website location and in newsletters. Providers would get a guaranteed window to accept or reject the change in writing or electronically, and insurers who fail to follow the notice rules would lose the ability to enforce the change. This likely gives providers more advance warning and bargaining leverage, while insurers face higher administrative and communication costs and the risk that attempted contract changes will be voided if notice procedures aren’t followed. The groups most affected are carriers (insurers) and the health care providers and facilities they contract with, plus certain public health plans brought under the same rules. Carriers will likely need to add processes, staffing, or legal review to prepare and publish detailed notices and face greater compliance risk; providers will gain protected time to assess financial impact and the option to reject changes without immediate alteration of current contract terms. Important implementation details are missing from the extracted text—there’s no effective date, limited enforcement detail beyond voiding noncompliant modifications, and the full statutory definition of “provider contract” isn’t included—so the timing and practical enforcement remain uncertain.