(1) Issuers must not exclude any category of providers licensed by the state of Washington who provide health care services or care within the scope of their practice for services covered as essential health benefits, as defined in WAC 284-43-5640 and 284-43-5642 and RCW 48.43.715, for individual and small group plans; and as covered by the basic health plan, as defined in RCW 48.43.005(4), for plans other than individual and small group.

For individual and small group plans, the issuer must not exclude a category of provider who is licensed to provide services for a covered condition, and is acting within the scope of practice, unless such services would not meet the issuer's standards pursuant to RCW 48.43.045 (1)(a). For example, if the issuer covers outpatient treatment of lower back pain as part of the essential health benefits, any category of provider that provides cost-effective and clinically efficacious outpatient treatment for lower back pain within its scope of practice and otherwise abides by standards pursuant to RCW 48.43.045 (1)(a) must not be excluded from the network.

(2) RCW 48.43.045 (1)(a) permits issuers to require providers to abide by certain standards. These standards may not be used in a manner designed to exclude categories of providers unreasonably. For example, issuers must not decide that a particular category of provider can never render any cost-effective or clinically efficacious services and thereby exclude that category of provider completely from health plans on that basis.

(3) Health plans are not prohibited by this section from placing reasonable limits on individual services rendered by specific categories of providers based on relevant information or evidence of the type usually considered and relied upon in making determinations of cost-effectiveness or clinical efficacy. However, health plans must not contain unreasonable limits, and must not include limits on the type of provider permitted to render the covered service unless such limits comply with RCW 48.43.045 (1)(a).

(4) This section does not prohibit health plans from using restricted networks. Issuers offering plans with restricted networks may select the individual providers in any category of provider with whom they will contract or whom they will reimburse. An issuer is not required by RCW 48.43.045 or this section to accede to a request by any individual provider for inclusion in any network for any health plan.

(a) Health plan networks that use "gatekeepers" or "medical homes" for access to specialist providers may use them for access to specified categories of providers.

(b) For purposes of this section:

(i) "Gatekeeper" means requiring a referral from a primary care or direct access provider or practitioner to access specialty or in-patient services.

(ii) "Medical home" means a team based health care delivery model for patient centered primary care that provides comprehensive and continuous medical care to patients with the goal of obtaining maximized health outcomes as modified and updated by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HRSA), and other state and federal agencies.

(5) Issuers must not offer coverage for health services for certain categories of providers solely as a separately priced optional benefit.

(6) The insurance commissioner may grant reasonable temporary extensions of time for implementation of RCW 48.43.045 or this section, or any part thereof, for good cause shown.