Washington legislation · 2025-26 Regular Session
Washington SB5923: Hospitals in Skagit county
Status: Signed into law, March 17, 2026
Concerning critical access hospital designations in Skagit county.
What the bill says
An act Relating to critical access hospital designations in Skagit county; and amending RCW 74.09.5225.
From the enrolled text:
AN ACT Relating to critical access hospital designations in Skagit county; and amending RCW 74.09.5225. Sec. 1. RCW 74.09.5225 and 2017 c 198 s 1 are each amended to read as follows: (1) Payments for recipients eligible for medical assistance programs under this chapter for services provided by hospitals, regardless of the beneficiary's managed care enrollment status, shall be made based on allowable costs incurred during the year, when services are provided by a rural hospital certified by the centers for medicare and medicaid services as a critical access hospital, unless the critical access hospital is participating in the Washington rural health access preservation pilot described in subsection (2) (((b)))(c) of this section. Any additional payments made by the authority for the healthy options program shall be no more than the additional amounts per service paid under this section for other medical assistance programs. (2)(a) Beginning on July 24, 2005, except as provided in (b) and (c) of this subsection, a moratorium shall be placed on additional hospital participation in critical access hospital payments under this section. However, rural hospitals that applied for certification to the centers for medicare and medicaid services prior to January 1, 2005, but have not yet completed the process or have not yet been approved for certification, remain eligible for medical assistance payments under this …
Sponsors
- Ron Muzzall (R) · primary sponsor
- Liz Lovelett (D)
- T'wina Nobles (D)
- Sharon Shewmake (D)
Latest actions
- : Effective date 6/11/2026.
- : Chapter 84, 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 4, 2026): 96 yea, 0 nay, passed
- House Committee on Appropriations: Do pass (February 27, 2026): 30 yea, 0 nay, passed
- 3rd Reading & Final Passage (February 16, 2026): 49 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Senate Committee on Ways & Means: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5923 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass (February 5, 2026): 22 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: HEALTH CARE FACILITIES, PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
Common questions
- What is SB5923?
- SB5923 is a bill in the Washington Legislature (2025-26 Regular Session): Hospitals in Skagit county.
- What does SB5923 do?
- In its own words: An act Relating to critical access hospital designations in Skagit county; and amending RCW 74.09.5225.
- What is the status of SB5923?
- Signed into law as of March 17, 2026. Latest action: Effective date 6/11/2026. (March 17, 2026).
- Who sponsored SB5923?
- Ron Muzzall (R), with 3 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for SB5923?
- On the Washington Legislature website: https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5923&Year=2025
Source: official Washington record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.