Washington legislation · 2025-26 Regular Session
Washington SB5124: SNF & rehab network adequacy
Status: Signed into law, March 24, 2026
Establishing network adequacy standards for skilled nursing facilities and rehabilitation hospitals.
What the bill says
An act Relating to increasing patient access to timely and medically necessary postacute care by establishing network adequacy standards for nursing homes and inpatient rehabilitation facilities within managed care contracts for medical assistance programs; amending RCW 74.09.522; and adding a new section to chapter 74.09 RCW. NEW SECTION.
From the enrolled text:
AN ACT Relating to increasing patient access to timely and medically necessary postacute care by establishing network adequacy standards for nursing homes and inpatient rehabilitation facilities within managed care contracts for medical assistance programs; amending RCW 74.09.522; and adding a new section to chapter 74.09 RCW. NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 74.09 RCW to read as follows: (1) The legislature finds medicaid enrollees are entitled to timely access to postacute care services when apple health managed care organizations have determined such services are medically necessary for quality of care and health outcomes. (2) In order to facilitate more access to postacute care services, the authority shall establish and adopt network adequacy standards for postacute care services by no later than January 1, 2028. Network adequacy standards development must include nursing homes licensed under chapter 18.51 RCW and inpatient rehabilitation facilities licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW. (a) Network adequacy standards for nursing homes must take into consideration the Washington medicaid principle of keeping care local to an enrollee's community and any geographic adequacy threshold should not be broader than the regional service area a managed care organization is contracted to serve. The authority may narrow the geographic standards during development. These standards must also (ii) Timeliness of care, which is defined as the reasonable amount …
Sponsors
- Ron Muzzall (R) · primary sponsor
- Mike Chapman (D)
- Perry Dozier (R)
Latest actions
- : Effective date 6/11/2026.
- : Chapter 206, 2026 Laws.
- : Governor signed.
- : Delivered to Governor.
- : Speaker signed.
- : President signed.
- : Third reading, passed; yeas, 96; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 2.
- : Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
- : Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.
- : Referred to Rules 2 Review.
Votes
- 3rd Reading & Final Passage (March 6, 2026): 96 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House Committee on Appropriations: Do pass (February 27, 2026): 30 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House Committee on Health Care & Wellness: Do pass (February 20, 2026): 16 yea, 0 nay, passed
- 3rd Reading & Final Passage (January 21, 2026): 49 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House Committee on Appropriations: Do pass as amended by Committee on Health Care & Wellness (April 8, 2025): 31 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House Committee on Health Care & Wellness: Do pass as amended (March 25, 2025): 18 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: HEALTH CARE PRACTIONERS AND PROVIDERS, HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY, PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
Common questions
- What is SB5124?
- SB5124 is a bill in the Washington Legislature (2025-26 Regular Session): SNF & rehab network adequacy.
- What does SB5124 do?
- In its own words: An act Relating to increasing patient access to timely and medically necessary postacute care by establishing network adequacy standards for nursing homes and inpatient rehabilitation facilities within managed care contracts for medical assistance programs; amending RCW 74.09.522; and adding a new section to chapter 74.09 RCW. NEW SECTION.
- What is the status of SB5124?
- Signed into law as of March 24, 2026. Latest action: Effective date 6/11/2026. (March 24, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB5124?
- Ron Muzzall (R), with 2 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SB5124?
- On the Washington Legislature website: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5124&Year=2025
Source: official Washington record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.