Section 284-180-455 - Carrier filings related to health care benefit managers(1) A carrier must file all contracts and contract amendments with a health care benefit manager within thirty days following the effective date of the contract or contract amendment. If a carrier negotiates, amends, or modifies a contract or a compensation agreement that deviates from a previously filed contract, then the carrier must file that negotiated, amended, or modified contract or agreement with the commissioner within thirty days following the effective date. The commissioner must receive the filings electronically in accordance with this subchapter.(2) Carriers must maintain health care benefit manager contracts at its principal place of business in the state, or the carrier must have access to all contracts and provide copies to facilitate regulatory review upon twenty days prior written notice from the commissioner.(3) Nothing in this section relieves the carrier of the responsibility detailed in WAC 284-170-280(3)(b) to ensure that all contracts are current and signed if the carrier utilizes a health care benefit manager's providers and those providers are listed in the network filed for approval with the commissioner.(4) If a carrier enters into a reimbursement agreement that is tied to health outcomes, utilization of specific services, patient volume within a specific period of time, or other performance standards, the carrier must file the reimbursement agreement with the commissioner within thirty days following the effective date of the reimbursement agreement, and identify the number of enrollees in the service area in which the reimbursement agreement applies. Such reimbursement agreements must not cause or be determined by the commissioner to result in discrimination against or rationing of medically necessary services for enrollees with a specific covered condition or disease. If the commissioner fails to notify the carrier that the agreement is disapproved within thirty days of receipt, the agreement is deemed approved. The commissioner may subsequently withdraw such approval for cause.(5) Health care benefit manager contracts and compensation agreements must clearly set forth the carrier provider networks and applicable compensation agreements associated with those networks so that the provider or facility can understand their participation as an in-network provider and the reimbursement to be paid. The format of such contracts and agreements may include a list or other format acceptable to the commissioner so that a reasonable person will understand and be able to identify their participation and the reimbursement to be paid as a contracted provider in each provider network.Wash. Admin. Code § 284-180-455
Adopted by WSR 21-02-034, Filed 12/29/2020, effective 1/1/2022