It is the public policy of Washington to promote access to medical care for all citizens and to encourage innovative arrangements between patients and providers that will help provide all citizens with a medical home.
Washington needs a multipronged approach to provide adequate health care to many citizens who lack adequate access to it. Direct patient-provider practices, in which patients enter into a direct relationship with medical practitioners and pay a fixed amount directly to the health care provider for primary care services, represent an innovative, affordable option which could improve access to medical care, reduce the number of people who now lack such access, and cut down on emergency room use for primary care purposes, thereby freeing up emergency room facilities to treat true emergencies.
[ 2007 c 267 § 1; ]
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
"Direct agreement" means a written agreement entered into between a direct practice and an individual direct patient, or the parent or legal guardian of the direct patient or a family of direct patients, whereby the direct practice charges a direct fee as consideration for being available to provide and providing primary care services to the individual direct patient. A direct agreement must (a) describe the specific health care services the direct practice will provide; and (b) be terminable at will upon written notice by the direct patient.
"Direct fee" means a fee charged by a direct practice as consideration for being available to provide and providing primary care services as specified in a direct agreement.
"Direct patient" means a person who is party to a direct agreement and is entitled to receive primary care services under the direct agreement from the direct practice.
"Direct patient-provider primary care practice" and "direct practice" means a provider, group, or entity that meets the following criteria in (a), (b), (c), and (d) of this subsection:
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A health care provider who furnishes primary care services through a direct agreement;
A group of health care providers who furnish primary care services through a direct agreement; or
An entity that sponsors, employs, or is otherwise affiliated with a group of health care providers who furnish only primary care services through a direct agreement, which entity is wholly owned by the group of health care providers or is a nonprofit corporation exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code, and is not otherwise regulated as a health care service contractor, health maintenance organization, or disability insurer under Title 48 RCW. Such entity is not prohibited from sponsoring, employing, or being otherwise affiliated with other types of health care providers not engaged in a direct practice;
Enters into direct agreements with direct patients or parents or legal guardians of direct patients;
Does not accept payment for health care services provided to direct patients from any entity subject to regulation under Title 48 RCW or plans administered under chapter 41.05, 70.47, or * 70.47A RCW; and
Does not provide, in consideration for the direct fee, services, procedures, or supplies such as prescription drugs except as provided in RCW 48.150.040(2)(b)(i)(B), hospitalization costs, major surgery, dialysis, high level radiology (CT, MRI, PET scans or invasive radiology), rehabilitation services, procedures requiring general anesthesia, or similar advanced procedures, services, or supplies.
"Health care provider" or "provider" means a person regulated under Title 18 RCW or chapter 70.127 RCW to practice health or health-related services or otherwise practicing health care services in this state consistent with state law.
"Health carrier" or "carrier" has the same meaning as in RCW 48.43.005.
"Network" means the group of participating providers and facilities providing health care services to a particular health carrier's health plan or to plans administered under chapter 41.05, 70.47, or * 70.47A RCW.
"Primary care" means routine health care services, including screening, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for the purpose of promotion of health, and detection and management of disease or injury.
[ 2013 c 126 § 1; 2009 c 552 § 1; 2007 c 267 § 3; ]
Except as provided in RCW 48.150.050, no direct practice shall decline to accept any person solely on account of race, religion, national origin, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, education, economic status, or sexual orientation.
[ 2007 c 267 § 4; ]
A direct practice must charge a direct fee on a monthly basis. The fee must represent the total amount due for all primary care services specified in the direct agreement and may be paid by the direct patient or on his or her behalf by others.
A direct practice must:
Maintain appropriate accounts and provide data regarding payments made and services received to direct patients upon request; and
Either:
Bill patients at the end of each monthly period; or
If the patient pays the monthly fee in advance, promptly refund to the direct patient all unearned direct fees following receipt of written notice of termination of the direct agreement from the direct patient. The amount of the direct fee considered earned shall be a proration of the monthly fee as of the date the notice of termination is received.
If the patient chooses to pay more than one monthly direct fee in advance, the funds must be held in a trust account and paid to the direct practice as earned at the end of each month. Any unearned direct fees held in trust following receipt of termination of the direct agreement shall be promptly refunded to the direct patient. The amount of the direct fee earned shall be a proration of the monthly fee for the then current month as of the date the notice of termination is received.
The direct fee schedule applying to an existing direct patient may not be increased over the annual negotiated amount more frequently than annually. A direct practice shall provide advance notice to existing patients of any change within the fee schedule applying to those existing direct patients. A direct practice shall provide at least sixty days' advance notice of any change in the fee.
A direct practice must designate a contact person to receive and address any patient complaints.
Direct fees for comparable services within a direct practice shall not vary from patient to patient based on health status or sex.
[ 2007 c 267 § 5; ]
Direct practices may not:
Enter into a participating provider contract as defined in RCW 48.44.010 or 48.46.020 with any carrier or with any carrier's contractor or subcontractor, or plans administered under chapter 41.05, 70.47, or * 70.47A RCW, to provide health care services through a direct agreement except as set forth in subsection (2) of this section;
Submit a claim for payment to any carrier or any carrier's contractor or subcontractor, or plans administered under chapter 41.05, 70.47, or * 70.47A RCW, for health care services provided to direct patients as covered by their agreement;
With respect to services provided through a direct agreement, be identified by a carrier or any carrier's contractor or subcontractor, or plans administered under chapter 41.05, 70.47, or * 70.47A RCW, as a participant in the carrier's or any carrier's contractor or subcontractor network for purposes of determining network adequacy or being available for selection by an enrollee under a carrier's benefit plan; or
Pay for health care services covered by a direct agreement rendered to direct patients by providers other than the providers in the direct practice or their employees, except as described in subsection (2)(b) of this section.
Direct practices and providers may:
Enter into a participating provider contract as defined by RCW 48.44.010 and 48.46.020 or plans administered under chapter 41.05, 70.47, or * 70.47A RCW for purposes other than payment of claims for services provided to direct patients through a direct agreement. Such providers shall be subject to all other provisions of the participating provider contract applicable to participating providers including but not limited to the right to:
Make referrals to other participating providers;
Admit the carrier's members to participating hospitals and other health care facilities;
Prescribe prescription drugs; and
Implement other customary provisions of the contract not dealing with reimbursement of services;
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Pay for charges associated with:
The provision of routine lab and imaging services; and
The dispensing, at no additional cost to the direct patient, of an initial supply, not to exceed thirty days, of generic prescription drugs prescribed by the direct provider.
In aggregate payments made under (b)(i)(A) and (B) of this subsection per year per direct patient are not to exceed fifteen percent of the total annual direct fee charged that direct patient. Exceptions to this limitation may occur with respect to routine lab and imaging services in the event of short-term equipment failure if such failure prevents the provision of care that should not be delayed; and
Charge an additional fee to direct patients for supplies, medications, and specific vaccines provided to direct patients that are specifically excluded under the agreement, provided the direct practice notifies the direct patient of the additional charge, prior to their administration or delivery.
[ 2013 c 126 § 2; 2009 c 552 § 2; 2007 c 267 § 6; ]
Direct practices may not decline to accept new direct patients or discontinue care to existing patients solely because of the patient's health status. A direct practice may decline to accept a patient if the practice has reached its maximum capacity, or if the patient's medical condition is such that the provider is unable to provide the appropriate level and type of health care services in the direct practice. So long as the direct practice provides the patient notice and opportunity to obtain care from another physician, the direct practice may discontinue care for direct patients if: (a) The patient fails to pay the direct fee under the terms required by the direct agreement; (b) the patient has performed an act that constitutes fraud; (c) the patient repeatedly fails to comply with the recommended treatment plan; (d) the patient is abusive and presents an emotional or physical danger to the staff or other patients of the direct practice; or (e) the direct practice discontinues operation as a direct practice.
Subject to the restrictions established in this chapter, direct practices may accept payment of direct fees directly or indirectly from third parties. A direct practice may accept a direct fee paid by an employer on behalf of an employee who is a direct patient. However, a direct practice shall not enter into a contract with an employer relating to direct practice agreements between the direct practice and employees of that employer, other than to establish the timing and method of the payment of the direct fee by the employer.
[ 2009 c 552 § 3; 2007 c 267 § 7; ]
Direct practices, as defined in RCW 48.150.010, who comply with this chapter are not insurers under RCW 48.01.050, health carriers under chapter 48.43 RCW, health care service contractors under chapter 48.44 RCW, or health maintenance organizations under chapter 48.46 RCW.
[ 2007 c 267 § 8; ]
A person shall not make, publish, or disseminate any false, deceptive, or misleading representation or advertising in the conduct of the business of a direct practice, or relative to the business of a direct practice.
[ 2007 c 267 § 9; ]
A person shall not make, issue, or circulate, or cause to be made, issued, or circulated, a misrepresentation of the terms of any direct agreement, or the benefits or advantages promised thereby, or use the name or title of any direct agreement misrepresenting the nature thereof.
[ 2007 c 267 § 10; ]
Violations of this chapter constitute unprofessional conduct enforceable under RCW 18.130.180.
[ 2007 c 267 § 11; ]
Direct practices must submit annual statements, beginning on October 1, 2007, to the office of [the] insurance commissioner specifying the number of providers in each practice, total number of patients being served, the average direct fee being charged, providers' names, and the business address for each direct practice. The form and content for the annual statement must be developed in a manner prescribed by the commissioner.
A health care provider may not act as, or hold himself or herself out to be, a direct practice in this state, nor may a direct agreement be entered into with a direct patient in this state, unless the provider submits the annual statement in subsection (1) of this section to the commissioner.
The commissioner shall report annually to the legislature on direct practices including, but not limited to, participation trends, complaints received, voluntary data reported by the direct practices, and any necessary modifications to this chapter. The initial report shall be due December 1, 2009.
[ 2007 c 267 § 12; ]
A direct agreement must include the following disclaimer: "This agreement does not provide comprehensive health insurance coverage. It provides only the health care services specifically described." The direct agreement may not be sold to a group and may not be entered with a group of subscribers. It must be an agreement between a direct practice and an individual direct patient. Nothing prohibits the presentation of marketing materials to groups of potential subscribers or their representatives.
A comprehensive disclosure statement shall be distributed to all direct patients with their participation forms. Such disclosure must inform the direct patients of their financial rights and responsibilities to the direct practice as provided for in this chapter, encourage that direct patients obtain and maintain insurance for services not provided by the direct practice, and state that the direct practice will not bill a carrier for services covered under the direct agreement. The disclosure statement shall include contact information for the office of the insurance commissioner.
[ 2007 c 267 § 13; ]