A health plan must provide coverage for all services and supplies required under RCW
48.43.072 and
48.43.073. A student health plan must also provide coverage for all services and supplies required under RCW
48.43.072 and
48.43.073.
(1) Required coverage of contraceptive services and supplies includes, but is not limited to:
(a) All prescription and over-the-counter contraceptive drugs, devices, and other products approved by the Federal Food and Drug Administration;
(b) Voluntary sterilization procedures; and
(c) The consultations, examinations, procedures, and medical services that are necessary to prescribe, dispense, insert, deliver, distribute, administer, or remove the drugs, devices, and other products or services in (a) and (b) of this subsection.
(2)(a) A health plan or student health plan that provides coverage for maternity care or services must also provide a covered person with substantially equivalent coverage to permit the abortion of a pregnancy. For the coverage to be substantially equivalent, a health plan or student health plan must not apply coverage limitations differently for abortion and related services than for maternity care and its related services unless the difference provides the enrollee with access to care and treatment commensurate with the enrollee's specific medical needs, without imposing a surcharge or other additional cost to the enrollee.
(b) Except as provided in (c) of this subsection, for health plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2024, a health carrier may not impose cost-sharing for abortion of a pregnancy.
(c) For a health plan that provides coverage for abortion of a pregnancy, and is offered as a qualifying health plan for a health savings account, the health carrier shall establish the plan's cost-sharing for the coverage required by this section at the minimum level necessary to preserve the enrollee's ability to claim tax exempt contributions and withdrawals from the enrollee's health savings account under internal revenue service laws and regulations.
(3) This subchapter does not diminish or affect any rights or responsibilities provided under RCW
48.43.065.
(4) For purposes of this section, "abortion of a pregnancy" includes medical treatment intended to induce termination of a pregnancy, except for the purpose of producing a live birth, and all medically necessary care associated with completing treatment including, but not limited to, office visits, counseling, diagnostic and laboratory testing, and prescription drugs.
(5) Coverage for abortion of a pregnancy may be subject to terms and conditions generally applicable to the health plan's or student health plan's coverage of maternity care or services.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
48.02.060,
48.43.735,
48.44.050,
48.46.200,
48.200.040, and
48.200.900. WSR 23-24-034 (Matter R 2023-07), § 284-43-7220, filed 11/30/23, effective 1/1/24. Statutory Authority: RCW
48.02.060 and 2021 c 53. WSR 21-24-032 (Matter No. R 2021-13), § 284-43-7220, filed 11/22/21, effective 12/23/21. Statutory Authority: RCW
48.02.060,
48.43.072,
48.43.073, and 2019 c 399. WSR 19-24-039, § 284-43-7220, filed 11/26/19, effective 12/27/19.]