H-1959.1

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1686

ByHouse Health Care & Wellness (originally sponsored by Representatives Macri, Cody, Robinson, Riccelli, Slatter, Jinkins, and Pollet)

AN ACT Relating to hospital access to care policies; and adding a new section to chapter 70.41 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 70.41 RCW to read as follows:

(1) By September 1, 2019, every hospital must submit to the department its policies related to access to care regarding:

(a) Admission;

(b) Nondiscrimination;

(c) End-of-life care; and

(d) Reproductive health care.

(2) The department shall post a copy of the policies received under subsection (1) of this section on its web site.

(3) If a hospital makes changes to any of the policies listed under subsection (1) of this section, it must submit a copy of the changed policy to the department within thirty days after the hospital approves the changes.

(4) A hospital must post a copy of the policies provided to the department under subsection (1) of this section and the form required under subsection (5) of this section to the hospital's own web site in a location where the policies are readily accessible to the public without a required login or other restriction.

(5) By September 1, 2019, the department shall, in consultation with stakeholders including a hospital association and patient advocacy groups, develop a simple and clear form to be submitted by hospitals along with the policies required in subsection (1) of this section. The form must provide the public with specific information about what end-of-life care and reproductive health care services are and are not generally available at each hospital. The form must include contact information for the hospital in case patients have specific questions about services available at the hospital.

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