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An ambulance service may transport patients to a facility other than an emergency department, such as an urgent care clinic a mental health facility, or a substance use disorder program, as authorized in regional emergency medical services and trauma care plans under RCW 70.168.100.
A health plan offered to employees and their covered dependents under this chapter issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, shall provide coverage for ground ambulance transport to a facility other than an emergency department, such as an urgent care clinic, a mental health facility, or a substance use disorder program, in accordance with RCW 18.73.280.
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For health plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, a health carrier shall provide coverage for ground ambulance transports to behavioral health emergency services providers for enrollees who are experiencing an emergency medical condition as defined in RCW 48.43.005. A health carrier may not require prior authorization of ground ambulance services if a prudent layperson acting reasonably would have believed that an emergency medical condition existed.
For a health plan issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, a health carrier shall provide coverage for ground ambulance transport to a facility other than an emergency department, such as an urgent care clinic, in accordance with RCW 18.73.280.
Coverage of ground ambulance transports under subsection (1) of this section may be subject to applicable in-network copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles, as provided in chapter 48.49 RCW.
The authority shall develop a reimbursement methodology for ambulance services when transporting a medical assistance enrollee to a facility other than an emergency department, such as an urgent care clinic, mental health facility, or substance use disorder program, in accordance with RCW 18.73.280 and the applicable alternative facility procedures adopted under RCW 70.168.100.
As used in this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
"Cardiac" means acute coronary syndrome, an umbrella term used to cover any group of clinical symptoms compatible with acute myocardial ischemia, which is chest discomfort or other symptoms due to insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle resulting from coronary artery disease. "Cardiac" also includes out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, which is the cessation of mechanical heart activity as assessed by emergency medical services personnel, or other acute heart conditions.
"Communications system" means a radio and landline network which provides rapid public access, coordinated central dispatching of services, and coordination of personnel, equipment, and facilities in an emergency medical services and trauma care system.
"Department" means the department of health.
"Designated trauma care service" means a level I, II, III, IV, or V trauma care service or level I, II, or III pediatric trauma care service or level I, I-pediatric, II, or III trauma-related rehabilitative service.
"Designation" means a formal determination by the department that hospitals or health care facilities are capable of providing designated trauma care services as authorized in RCW 70.168.070.
"Emergency medical service" means medical treatment and care that may be rendered at the scene of any medical emergency or while transporting any patient in an ambulance to an appropriate medical facility, including ambulance transportation between medical facilities.
"Emergency medical services and trauma care planning and service regions" means geographic areas established by the department under this chapter.
"Emergency medical services and trauma care system plan" means a statewide plan that identifies statewide emergency medical services and trauma care objectives and priorities and identifies equipment, facility, personnel, training, and other needs required to create and maintain a statewide emergency medical services and trauma care system. The plan also includes a plan of implementation that identifies the state, regional, and local activities that will create, operate, maintain, and enhance the system. The plan is formulated by incorporating the regional emergency medical services and trauma care plans required under this chapter. The plan shall be updated every two years and shall be made available to the state board of health in sufficient time to be considered in preparation of the biennial state health report required in RCW 43.20.050.
"Emergency medical services medical program director" means a person who is an approved program director as defined by RCW 18.71.205(4).
"Facility patient care protocols" means the written procedures adopted by the medical staff that direct the care of the patient. These procedures shall be based upon the assessment of the patients' medical needs. The procedures shall follow minimum statewide standards for trauma care services.
"Hospital" means a facility licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW, or comparable health care facility operated by the federal government or located and licensed in another state.
"Level I-pediatric rehabilitative services" means rehabilitative services as established in RCW 70.168.060. Facilities providing level I-pediatric rehabilitative services provide the same services as facilities authorized to provide level I rehabilitative services except these services are exclusively for children under the age of fifteen years.
"Level I pediatric trauma care services" means pediatric trauma care services as established in RCW 70.168.060. Hospitals providing level I services shall provide definitive, comprehensive, specialized care for pediatric trauma patients and shall also provide ongoing research and health care professional education in pediatric trauma care.
"Level I rehabilitative services" means rehabilitative services as established in RCW 70.168.060. Facilities providing level I rehabilitative services provide rehabilitative treatment to patients with traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, complicated amputations, and other diagnoses resulting in functional impairment, with moderate to severe impairment or complexity. These facilities serve as referral facilities for facilities authorized to provide level II and III rehabilitative services.
"Level I trauma care services" means trauma care services as established in RCW 70.168.060. Hospitals providing level I services shall have specialized trauma care teams and provide ongoing research and health care professional education in trauma care.
"Level II pediatric trauma care services" means pediatric trauma care services as established in RCW 70.168.060. Hospitals providing level II services shall provide initial stabilization and evaluation of pediatric trauma patients and provide comprehensive general medicine and surgical care to pediatric patients who can be maintained in a stable or improving condition without the specialized care available in the level I hospital. Complex surgeries and research and health care professional education in pediatric trauma care activities are not required.
"Level II rehabilitative services" means rehabilitative services as established in RCW 70.168.060. Facilities providing level II rehabilitative services treat individuals with musculoskeletal trauma, peripheral nerve lesions, lower extremity amputations, and other diagnoses resulting in functional impairment in more than one functional area, with moderate to severe impairment or complexity.
"Level II trauma care services" means trauma care services as established in RCW 70.168.060. Hospitals providing level II services shall be similar to those provided by level I hospitals, although complex surgeries and research and health care professional education activities are not required to be provided.
"Level III pediatric trauma care services" means pediatric trauma care services as established in RCW 70.168.060. Hospitals providing level III services shall provide initial evaluation and stabilization of patients. The range of pediatric trauma care services provided in level III hospitals are not as comprehensive as level I and II hospitals.
"Level III rehabilitative services" means rehabilitative services as established in RCW 70.168.060. Facilities providing level III rehabilitative services provide treatment to individuals with musculoskeletal injuries, peripheral nerve injuries, uncomplicated lower extremity amputations, and other diagnoses resulting in functional impairment in more than one functional area but with minimal to moderate impairment or complexity.
"Level III trauma care services" means trauma care services as established in RCW 70.168.060. The range of trauma care services provided by level III hospitals are not as comprehensive as level I and II hospitals.
"Level IV trauma care services" means trauma care services as established in RCW 70.168.060.
"Level V trauma care services" means trauma care services as established in RCW 70.168.060. Facilities providing level V services shall provide stabilization and transfer of all patients with potentially life-threatening injuries.
"Patient care procedures" means written operating guidelines adopted by the regional emergency medical services and trauma care council, in consultation with local emergency medical services and trauma care councils, emergency communication centers, and the emergency medical services medical program director, in accordance with minimum statewide standards. The patient care procedures shall identify the level of medical care personnel to be dispatched to an emergency scene, procedures for triage of patients, the level of trauma care facility, mental health facility, or substance use disorder program, or other nonemergency department facility, such as an urgent care clinic, to first receive the patient, and the name and location of other trauma care facilities, mental health facilities, substance use disorder programs to receive the patient should an interfacility transfer be necessary. Procedures on interfacility transfer of patients shall be consistent with the transfer procedures required in chapter 70.170 RCW.
"Pediatric trauma patient" means trauma patients known or estimated to be less than fifteen years of age.
"Prehospital" means emergency medical care or transportation rendered to patients prior to hospital admission or during interfacility transfer by licensed ambulance or aid service under chapter 18.73 RCW, by personnel certified to provide emergency medical care under chapters 18.71 and 18.73 RCW, or by facilities providing level V trauma care services as provided for in this chapter.
"Prehospital patient care protocols" means the written procedures adopted by the emergency medical services medical program director that direct the out-of-hospital emergency care of the emergency patient which includes the trauma patient. These procedures shall be based upon the assessment of the patients' medical needs and the treatment to be provided for serious conditions. The procedures shall meet or exceed statewide minimum standards for trauma and other prehospital care services.
"Rehabilitative services" means a formal program of multidisciplinary, coordinated, and integrated services for evaluation, treatment, education, and training to help individuals with disabling impairments achieve and maintain optimal functional independence in physical, psychosocial, social, vocational, and avocational realms. Rehabilitation is indicated for the trauma patient who has sustained neurologic or musculoskeletal injury and who needs physical or cognitive intervention to return to home, work, or society.
"Secretary" means the secretary of the department of health.
"Trauma" means a major single or multisystem injury requiring immediate medical or surgical intervention or treatment to prevent death or permanent disability.
"Trauma care system" means an organized approach to providing care to trauma patients that provides personnel, facilities, and equipment for effective and coordinated trauma care. The trauma care system shall: Identify facilities with specific capabilities to provide care, triage trauma victims at the scene, and require that all trauma victims be sent to an appropriate trauma facility. The trauma care system includes prevention, prehospital care, hospital care, and rehabilitation.
"Triage" means the sorting of patients in terms of disposition, destination, or priority. Triage of prehospital trauma victims requires identifying injury severity so that the appropriate care level can be readily assessed according to patient care guidelines.
"Verification" means the identification of prehospital providers who are capable of providing verified trauma care services and shall be a part of the licensure process required in chapter 18.73 RCW.
"Verified trauma care service" means prehospital service as provided for in RCW 70.168.080, and identified in the regional emergency medical services and trauma care plan as required by RCW 70.168.100.
Regional emergency medical services and trauma care councils are established. The councils:
By June 1990, shall begin the development of regional emergency medical services and trauma care plans to:
Assess and analyze regional emergency medical services and trauma care needs;
Identify personnel, agencies, facilities, equipment, training, and education to meet regional and local needs;
Identify specific activities necessary to meet statewide standards and patient care outcomes and develop a plan of implementation for regional compliance;
Establish and review agreements with regional providers necessary to meet state standards;
Establish agreements with providers outside the region to facilitate patient transfer;
Include a regional budget;
Establish the number and level of facilities to be designated which are consistent with state standards and based upon availability of resources and the distribution of trauma within the region;
Identify the need for and recommend distribution and level of care of prehospital services to assure adequate availability and avoid inefficient duplication and lack of coordination of prehospital services within the region;
Include other specific elements defined by the department;
By June 1991, shall begin the submission of the regional emergency medical services and trauma care plan to the department;
Shall advise the department on matters relating to the delivery of emergency medical services and trauma care within the region;
Shall provide data required by the department to assess the effectiveness of the emergency medical services and trauma care system;
May apply for, receive, and accept gifts and other payments, including property and service, from any governmental or other public or private entity or person, and may make arrangements as to the use of these receipts, including any activities related to the design, maintenance, or enhancements of the emergency medical services and trauma care system in the region. The councils shall report in the regional budget the amount, source, and purpose of all gifts and payments.
(1) No act or omission of any physician's trained advanced emergency medical technician and paramedic, as defined in RCW 18.71.200, or any emergency medical technician or first responder, as defined in RCW 18.73.030, done or omitted in good faith while rendering emergency medical service under the responsible supervision and control of a licensed physician or an approved medical program director or delegate(s) to a person who has suffered illness or bodily injury shall impose any liability upon: