SHB 1505
In CommitteeHouse
Insurance statutes
Correcting obsolete or erroneous references in statutes administered by the insurance commissioner.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
SHB 1505 modernizes Washington’s insurance statutes by updating outdated laws, aligning them with current federal requirements, and improving consumer protections—especially for gender-affirming care and hearing aid coverage—while streamlining data confidentiality and refund processes. It also repeals obsolete laws and clarifies reporting and disclosure rules for insurers and other entities.
- Amends public records exemptions to protect sensitive insurance data, including names and IDs of insureds, claimant/provider identities in claims data, and confidential examination materials.
- Updates refund timelines: taxes must be refunded within 6 years of the tax year’s end, while fees/charges must be refunded within 13 months of payment.
- Expands auto insurance rate considerations to include anti-theft devices, improved lighting, and multi-vehicle discounts, requiring supporting exhibits in rate filings.
- Adds strong protections for gender-affirming care: bans categorical exclusions, requires medical necessity reviews by qualified providers, and mandates coverage for services like facial feminization surgery and mastectomies.
- Requires coverage of hearing instruments (including fitting and adjustments) for nongrandfathered plans, with $3,000 per ear benefit every 3 years until 2026, after which no lifetime/annual dollar limits apply.
- Repeals 7 outdated statutes, including the Health Insurance Market Stability Program, Natural Disaster Resiliency Work Group, and several reporting requirements no longer in use.
Who is affected
- Health insurers and health carriers — Insurance companies offering health plans must comply with new rules banning discrimination based on age, disability, gender identity, or other protected characteristics, and must cover medically necessary gender-affirming care without categorical exclusions.
- Patients seeking gender-affirming care — Patients, especially transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse individuals, gain clearer protections against coverage denials for gender-affirming care and improved access to such services.
- Charitable institutions issuing gift annuities — Charitable institutions issuing gift annuities must meet updated financial requirements and reporting standards, including annual filings and actuarial statements.
- Auto insurance policyholders — Motorists aged 55+ and those who complete approved driver safety courses may receive premium discounts on auto insurance, and insurers must include supporting data in rate filings.
- Dental insurers and consumers — Health carriers offering dental-only plans must submit annual data on premiums, enrollments, and losses, increasing transparency for consumers and policymakers.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
The ban on categorical exclusions for gender-affirming care and the prohibition on labeling medically necessary procedures (e.g., facial feminization surgery, mastectomies) as “cosmetic” directly benefits transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse Washingtonians by removing discriminatory coverage barriers—these provisions align with clinical guidelines and significantly improve access to essential care for a historically marginalized group.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 9 (RCW 48.43.0128)Mandating coverage of hearing instruments (including fitting, adjustments, and ear molds) for nongrandfathered plans—$3,000 per ear every 3 years until 2026, then no dollar limits—will significantly reduce out-of-pocket costs for older Washingtonians and people with hearing loss, especially those on fixed incomes; this addresses a major gap in coverage that has left many seniors unable to afford essential hearing technology.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 11 (RCW 48.43.135)Allowing auto insurance premium discounts for drivers aged 55+ who complete approved safety courses (including online options) benefits older motorists—many of whom drive less but remain at risk for high premiums—while also promoting road safety; the inclusion of alternative delivery methods (e.g., online courses) increases accessibility for rural and mobility-limited seniors.
TransportationPeopleRef: Sec. 3 (RCW 48.19.460)Requiring insurers to consider anti-theft devices, improved lighting, and multi-vehicle discounts in rate filings—backed by supporting exhibits—creates a transparent pathway for consumers to benefit from safety investments, especially households with multiple vehicles or older cars prone to theft; this empowers everyday drivers to lower premiums through verifiable risk-reduction measures.
TransportationPeopleRef: Sec. 4 (RCW 48.19.501)Expanding public records exemptions to protect the identities of insureds, claimants, and providers in sensitive data (e.g., claims data, confidential examination materials) strengthens privacy protections—particularly important for survivors of domestic violence, LGBTQ+ individuals seeking gender-affirming care, and victims of fraud—though it may slightly reduce transparency in insurance oversight.
Rights & LibertiesLean peopleRef: Sec. 1 (RCW 42.56.400)
Potential Concerns (5)
Extending the refund request window for taxes to six years from the end of the tax year (instead of six years from payment date) may benefit consumers by aligning with federal tax cycles, but the change has minimal practical impact for most people since most tax overpayments are refunded far sooner; the change is largely administrative and does not meaningfully improve access to refunds for everyday Washingtonians.
FinancialRef: Sec. 2 (RCW 48.14.070)The $25 + $5 per annuity contract annual filing fee for charitable institutions may impose a modest administrative cost on small nonprofits issuing gift annuities, especially those with limited resources or high administrative overhead—though the fee is capped and the threshold ($500K net assets) excludes most micro-charities, the burden falls disproportionately on smaller community-based charities.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 7 (RCW 48.38.010 & 48.38.012)The requirement that adverse benefit determinations for gender-affirming care be reviewed by a provider experienced in gender-affirming treatment may improve care quality, but the bill does not mandate that such providers be available in all regions—rural and low-income communities may still face delays or denials due to provider scarcity, limiting real-world access despite the protection.
HealthcareLean peopleRef: Sec. 9 (RCW 48.43.0128)The $3,000 per ear benefit every 3 years until 2026, after which no dollar limits apply, is generous—but the 36-month frequency cap may still leave many older adults with unmet needs, especially those with progressive hearing loss requiring more frequent updates; low-income seniors may still struggle with out-of-pocket costs for non-covered services (e.g., ear molds, repairs), and the requirement for medical clearance may create administrative barriers for Medicaid/Medicare dual-eligible individuals.
HealthcareLean peopleRef: Sec. 11 (RCW 48.43.135)Clarifying that the fraud program is funded from the commissioner’s fraud account (subject to legislative appropriation) does not change current funding mechanisms—it is a technical correction with no material fiscal impact on state or local budgets.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 13 (RCW 48.135.030)
Who Is Most Affected
Transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse Washingtonians—especially those with lower incomes or living in rural areas—will benefit significantly from guaranteed access to gender-affirming care without categorical exclusions or cosmetic labeling; however, access may still be limited by provider availability in underserved regions.
Older adults (55+) and people with hearing loss—particularly those on fixed incomes—will benefit from expanded hearing aid coverage and auto insurance discounts, but low-income seniors may still face barriers due to the 36-month frequency cap and medical clearance requirements.
Charitable institutions issuing gift annuities must meet stricter financial and reporting requirements ($500K net assets, actuarial statements, $25 + $5/annuity fee), which may strain smaller nonprofits but improve consumer confidence and long-term solvency for larger ones.
Health insurers and health carriers face new obligations to cover gender-affirming care and hearing instruments without categorical exclusions, which may increase short-term costs but reduce long-term liability from discriminatory coverage denials; the transparency requirements for dental plans may increase administrative burden.
Auto insurance policyholders—especially older drivers and multi-vehicle households—will benefit from new discount eligibility and transparent rate considerations, but the impact is limited to those who proactively complete safety courses or own vehicles with safety features.