Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Health Care & Wellness Committee
HB 1076
Brief Description: Concerning the health technology assessment program.
Sponsors: Representatives Walen, Barnard, Reed, Rule, Ryu, Parshley, Leavitt and Obras.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Changes the processes and the prioritization and review criteria for the Health Technology Assessment Program.
Hearing Date: 1/22/25
Staff: Jim Morishima (786-7191).
Background:

Under the Health Technology Assessment Program, the Health Technology Clinical Committee (HTCC) reviews scientific, evidence-based reports about the safety and effectiveness of health technologies to determine whether they should be covered by state programs. ?When selecting which technologies will be reviewed, priority is given to any technology for which:

  • there are concerns about safety, efficacy, or cost-effectiveness;
  • there are significant variations in its use;
  • actual or expected state expenditures are high; and
  • there is adequate evidence available to conduct the review.

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Additionally, a technology may be reviewed by petition from an interested party.

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Once a technology is selected for review, the Health Care Authority contracts for a systematic, evidence-based assessment of the technology's safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness.? Once the review is complete, the HTCC determines the conditions under which the technology may be included as a covered benefit and the criteria that must be used to determine medical necessity.

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A health technology that has been reviewed must be considered for re-review at least once every 18 months.? If a technology is re-reviewed, consideration may only be given to evidence available since the previous determination.
Summary of Bill:

When selecting a technology for review under the Health Technology Assessment Program, prioritization must also be given to a technology for which patient access is established or recommended under the Medicare program or in nationally recognized expert treatment guidelines. ?

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When evaluating a technology for life-threatening or rare diseases, the Heath Technology Clinical Committee (HTCC) must:

  • evaluate all applicable clinical trials regarding the technology published in peer-reviewed clinical literature; and
  • take into account information submitted by clinical experts indicating that performing a randomized, controlled trial or other specific trial design would be unethical, impractical, or impossible.

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The Health Care Authority must publish receipt of submissions for new assessments and re-review assessments on its website within seven days of receipt. ?The HTCC must communicate its decision on the assessment within 180 days. ?For adverse determinations, the HTCC must also provide a written, substantive explanation of the rationale for the adverse determination.

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Re-reviews of health technologies are not limited to evidence made available since the previous determination. ?Instead, the new evidence must be evaluated in combination, and within the context of, the clinical evidence the HTCC considered previously.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 17, 2025.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.