HB 2683
In CommitteeHouse
Health carriers & providers
Promoting transparency and efficiency in health carrier relations with health care providers and facilities.
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
This bill requires health insurance companies to standardize how they accept provider credentialing applications and to make billing and coverage information publicly accessible online. It also tightens timelines for credentialing decisions—from 90 days to 30 days by 2027—and mandates advance notice of policy changes.
- Health carriers must use the state-designated credentialing database (RCW 48.165.035) to accept provider applications—no other formats allowed.
- Credentialing decisions must be made within 30 days (starting January 1, 2027) for complete applications, with an average of 60 days or less overall.
- Health carriers must post all billing, coverage, and claims-related documents (e.g., payment policies, prior authorization rules, medical necessity guidelines) on a public, login-free section of their website.
- Carriers must notify the public at least 60 days before changing any required posted policies, via website and newsletters.
- The law does not require carriers to approve providers or include them in networks, and does not apply to providers using credentialing delegation arrangements.
Who is affected
- Health insurance companies (health carriers) — Health carriers (insurance companies) must follow new rules about how they handle provider credentialing and share billing/coverage information, including meeting stricter timelines for credentialing decisions and providing public access to billing and coverage policies.
- Health care providers and facilities — Doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers must use a state-designated database to apply for credentialing, and they gain new rights to access billing and coverage information online without logging in.
- Patients and health plan members — Patients may benefit from faster provider network onboarding and clearer, more accessible information about what services are covered and how to submit claims.
- State agencies (e.g., Office of the Insurance Commissioner, Public Service Office) — The Office of the Insurance Commissioner gains no new enforcement authority over this law, but the Public Service Office (through the state credentialing database) plays a key role in supporting compliance.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
Standardizes credentialing submissions to a state-designated database and reduces timelines to 30 days by 2027, significantly reducing administrative burden and wait times for providers—especially small practices and rural clinics—enabling faster onboarding into insurance networks and improved patient access to care.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 1(a), Sec. 1(c)Requires public, login-free access to billing and coverage policies, empowering patients and providers with transparent, actionable information about coverage rules and claim submission—reducing billing errors, denials, and administrative waste across the system.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 2(1)–(2)60-day advance notice of policy changes helps providers plan for new billing or authorization requirements, reducing surprise disruptions in revenue cycles and supporting continuity of care coordination.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 2(3)Standardizing credentialing formats reduces paperwork and IT overhead for providers—particularly small practices and rural clinics—freeing up staff time and resources for direct patient care rather than administrative tasks.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 1(a)Nonparticipating (out-of-network) providers gain equal access to billing and coverage information, helping them better serve patients and potentially reducing surprise billing incidents by enabling more accurate pre-service cost estimates.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 2(1)
Potential Concerns (5)
Shortens credentialing timelines to 30 days by 2027, which may strain health insurers’ internal operations and increase compliance costs—particularly for smaller carriers—potentially leading to reduced provider network participation or higher premiums over time as administrative burdens are passed on.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 1(c) (effective Jan. 1, 2027)Mandates public posting of billing and coverage policies without login, but excludes enforcement mechanisms and does not require carriers to approve providers or cover services—so while information is more accessible, providers still face high barriers to actual reimbursement or network inclusion.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 2(1)–(2)Explicitly excludes providers using credentialing delegation arrangements and does not compel network inclusion, limiting the real-world impact for many providers—especially solo practitioners—who rely on delegated credentialing (e.g., through group practices or large health systems).
HealthcareLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(d) and Sec. 1(2)60-day advance notice of policy changes may delay implementation of cost-saving or quality-improving changes by insurers, potentially slowing innovation in value-based care models or prior authorization streamlining.
HealthcareLean peopleRef: Sec. 2(3)The state may incur minor costs to maintain the credentialing database, but no significant budget impact is projected—so no meaningful fiscal burden on state or local taxpayers.
Local GovernmentRef: Fiscal Impact section
Who Is Most Affected
Small and rural clinics, solo practitioners, and community health centers benefit significantly: reduced administrative burden, faster credentialing, and transparent billing rules improve cash flow and reduce burnout from paperwork. They are the primary beneficiaries of the standardization and transparency provisions.
Patients benefit from faster access to in-network providers and clearer information about coverage and claims—reducing surprise bills and administrative confusion. However, patients in rural areas may still face provider shortages if insurers limit network growth due to compliance costs.
Large health insurers face higher compliance costs and operational changes, but many already use centralized credentialing systems—so the impact is modest. The lack of enforcement authority limits regulatory risk, but transparency mandates may reduce their ability to obscure coverage rules.
The Office of the Insurance Commissioner gains no new enforcement tools, limiting its ability to hold carriers accountable for delays or noncompliance—reducing the law’s effectiveness in practice, despite improved transparency.
Large health systems and hospital networks that use credentialing delegation arrangements are largely exempt from the law’s requirements, so they see minimal impact—while smaller providers who cannot delegate face the full burden of compliance.