(1) For health plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2017:

(a) Benefits shall not be denied for any health care service performed by a pharmacist licensed under chapter 18.64 RCW if:

(i) The service performed was within the lawful scope of such person's license;

(ii) The plan would have provided benefits if the service had been performed by a physician licensed under chapter 18.71 or 18.57 RCW, an *advanced registered nurse practitioner licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW, or a physician's assistant licensed under chapter 18.71A RCW; and

(iii) The pharmacist is included in the plan's network of participating providers; and

(b) The health plan must include an adequate number of pharmacists in its network of participating medical providers.

(2) The participation of pharmacies in the plan network's drug benefit does not satisfy the requirement that plans include pharmacists in their networks of participating medical providers.

(3) For health benefit plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2016, but before January 1, 2017, health plans that delegate credentialing agreements to contracted health care facilities must accept credentialing for pharmacists employed or contracted by those facilities. Health plans must reimburse facilities for covered services provided by network pharmacists within the pharmacists' scope of practice per negotiations with the facility.

(4) This section does not supersede the requirements of RCW 48.43.045.

*Reviser's note: The term "advanced registered nurse practitioner" was changed to "advanced practice registered nurse" by 2024 c 239 s 1, effective June 30, 2027.

Effective date—2020 c 80 ss 12-59: See note following RCW 7.68.030.

Intent—2020 c 80: See note following RCW 18.71A.010.

Lead organization and advisory committee—2015 c 237: "(1) The insurance commissioner shall designate a lead organization to establish and facilitate an advisory committee to implement the provisions of section 1 of this act. The lead organization and advisory committee shall develop best practice recommendations on standards for credentialing, privileging, billing, and payment processes to ensure pharmacists are adequately included and appropriately utilized in participating provider networks of health plans. In developing these standards, the committee shall also discuss topics as they relate to implementation including current credentialing requirements for health care providers consistent with chapter 18.64 RCW, existing processes of similarly situated health care providers, pharmacist training, care coordination, and the role of pharmacist prescriptive authority agreements pursuant to WAC 246-863-100.

(2) The lead organization shall create an advisory committee including, but not limited to, representatives of the following stakeholders:

(a) The insurance commissioner or designee;

(b) The secretary of health or designee;

(c) An organization representing pharmacists;

(d) An organization representing physicians;

(e) An organization representing hospitals;

(f) A hospital conducting internal credentialing of pharmacists;

(g) A clinic with pharmacists providing medical services;

(h) A community pharmacy with pharmacists providing medical services;

(i) The two largest health carriers in Washington based upon enrollment;

(j) A health care system that coordinates care and coverage;

(k) A school or college of pharmacy in Washington;

(l) A representative from a pharmacy benefit manager or organization that represents pharmacy benefit managers; and

(m) Other representatives appointed by the insurance commissioner.

(3) No later than December 1, 2015, the advisory committee shall present initial best practice recommendations to the insurance commissioner and the department of health. If necessary, the insurance commissioner or department of health may adopt rules to implement the standards developed by the lead organization and advisory committee. The advisory committee will remain intact to assist the insurance commissioner or department of health in rule making. The rules adopted by the insurance commissioner or the department of health must be consistent with the recommendations developed by the advisory committee.

(4) For purposes of this section, "lead organization" means a private sector organization or organizations designated by the insurance commissioner to lead development of processes, guidelines, and standards to streamline health care administration to be adopted by payors and providers of health care services operating in the state." [ 2015 c 237 s 3.]