2018 Revised Code of Washington
Title 71 - MENTAL ILLNESS
71.24 Community mental health services act.
71.24.335 Behavioral health organizations—Provider reimbursement—Requirements—Procedure—Definitions.
RCW 71.24.335 Behavioral health organizations—Provider reimbursement—Requirements—Procedure—Definitions.
(1) Upon initiation or renewal of a contract with the department, a behavioral health organization shall reimburse a provider for a behavioral health service provided to a covered person who is under eighteen years old through telemedicine or store and forward technology if:
(a) The behavioral health organization in which the covered person is enrolled provides coverage of the behavioral health service when provided in person by the provider; and
(b) The behavioral health service is medically necessary.
(2)(a) If the service is provided through store and forward technology there must be an associated visit between the covered person and the referring provider. Nothing in this section prohibits the use of telemedicine for the associated office visit.
(b) For purposes of this section, reimbursement of store and forward technology is available only for those services specified in the negotiated agreement between the behavioral health organization and provider.
(3) An originating site for a telemedicine behavioral health service subject to subsection (1) of this section means an originating site as defined in rule by the department or the health care authority.
(4) Any originating site, other than a home, under subsection (3) of this section may charge a facility fee for infrastructure and preparation of the patient. Reimbursement must be subject to a negotiated agreement between the originating site and the behavioral health organization. A distant site or any other site not identified in subsection (3) of this section may not charge a facility fee.
(5) A behavioral health organization may not distinguish between originating sites that are rural and urban in providing the coverage required in subsection (1) of this section.
(6) A behavioral health organization may subject coverage of a telemedicine or store and forward technology behavioral health service under subsection (1) of this section to all terms and conditions of the behavioral health organization in which the covered person is enrolled, including, but not limited to, utilization review, prior authorization, deductible, copayment, or coinsurance requirements that are applicable to coverage of a comparable behavioral health care service provided in person.
(7) This section does not require a behavioral health organization to reimburse:
(a) An originating site for professional fees;
(b) A provider for a behavioral health service that is not a covered benefit under the behavioral health organization; or
(c) An originating site or provider when the site or provider is not a contracted provider with the behavioral health organization.
(8) For purposes of this section:
(a) "Distant site" means the site at which a physician or other licensed provider, delivering a professional service, is physically located at the time the service is provided through telemedicine;
(b) "Hospital" means a facility licensed under chapter 70.41, 71.12, or 72.23 RCW;
(c) "Originating site" means the physical location of a patient receiving behavioral health services through telemedicine;
(d) "Provider" has the same meaning as in RCW 48.43.005;
(e) "Store and forward technology" means use of an asynchronous transmission of a covered person's medical or behavioral health information from an originating site to the provider at a distant site which results in medical or behavioral health diagnosis and management of the covered person, and does not include the use of audio-only telephone, facsimile, or email; and
(f) "Telemedicine" means the delivery of health care or behavioral health services through the use of interactive audio and video technology, permitting real-time communication between the patient at the originating site and the provider, for the purpose of diagnosis, consultation, or treatment. For purposes of this section only, "telemedicine" does not include the use of audio-only telephone, facsimile, or email.
(9) The department must, in consultation with the health care authority, adopt rules as necessary to implement the provisions of this section.
[ 2017 c 202 § 7.]
NOTES:
Contingent effective date—2017 c 202 § 7: "Section 7 of this act takes effect January 1, 2018, but only if neither Substitute House Bill No. 1388 (including any later amendments or substitutes) nor Substitute Senate Bill No. 5259 (including any later amendments or substitutes) is signed into law by the governor by July 23, 2017." [ 2017 c 202 § 10.] Neither Substitute House Bill No. 1388 nor Substitute Senate Bill No. 5259 was signed into law by July 23, 2017.
Findings—Intent—2017 c 202: See note following RCW 74.09.492.
