WSR 25-23-071

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

DEPARTMENT OF

LABOR AND INDUSTRIES

[Filed November 18, 2025, 8:47 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Reimbursement policies: WAC 296-21-290 Physical medicine, under chapter 296-21 WAC, Reimbursement policies: Psychiatric services, biofeedback, physical medicine.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 51.04.020 and 51.04.030.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The purpose of this rule making is to update WAC 296-21-290 to include additional providers who can be authorized and paid for physical medicine services. This rule making will include adding chiropractors and occupational therapists as types of providers who can perform physical medicine services.

Expanding the providers who can provide physical medicine services will increase access to care for workers and improve patient outcomes.

Amendments to WAC 296-21-290 will include general revisions to grammar and format that will not change the content.

Process for Developing New Rule: The proposed changes will be presented to advisory groups, published via the GovDelivery service, and communicated to industry organizations by email. Parties interested in this rule change may contact the individual listed below. The public may also participate by commenting after the proposal (CR-102) is filed by providing written comments and/or testimony during the public hearing and comment process. A public hearing will be held after the proposal is filed.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Marc Hobbs, Department of Labor and Industries (L&I), Insurance Services, Health Services Analysis, P.O. Box 44322, Olympia, WA 98504-4322, phone 360-902-4244, fax 360-902-4249, email Marc.Hobbs@Lni.wa.gov.

Additional comments: For information about L&I rule making, visit the rule-making activity website at https://www.lni.wa.gov/rulemaking-activity.

November 18, 2025

Joel Sacks

Director