(1) No later than December 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, the board shall hold a public hearing related to discussing the growth in total health care expenditures in relation to the health care cost growth benchmark in the previous performance period, in accordance with the open public meetings act, chapter
42.30 RCW. The agenda and any materials for this hearing must be made available to the public at least 14 days prior to the hearing.
(2)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, to the extent data permits, the hearing must include the public identification of any payers or health care providers for which health care cost growth in the previous performance period exceeded the health care cost growth benchmark.
(b) Provider groups with fewer than 10,000 unique attributed lives shall be exempt from identification under (a) of this subsection.
(3) At the hearing, the board:
(a) May require testimony by payers or health care providers that have substantially exceeded the health care cost growth benchmark in the previous calendar year to better understand the reasons for the excess health care cost growth and measures that are being undertaken to restore health care cost growth within the limits of the benchmark;
(b) Shall invite testimony from health care stakeholders, other than payers and health care providers, including health care consumers, business interests, and labor representatives; and
(c) Shall provide an opportunity for public comment.