For plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, each nongrandfathered health benefit plan offered, issued, or renewed to small employers or individuals, both inside and outside the Washington health benefit exchange, must provide coverage for a package of essential health benefits, pursuant to RCW 48.43.715. WAC 284-43-5400 through 284-43-5820 explains the regulatory standards defining this coverage, and establishes supplementation of the base-benchmark plan consistent with RCW 48.43.715, and the parameters of the state EHB-benchmark plan.

1. (1) WAC 284-43-5400 through 284-43-5820 do not apply to a health benefit plan that provides excepted benefits as described in section 2722 of the federal Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 300gg-21), to a health benefit plan that qualifies as a grandfathered health plan as defined in RCW 48.43.005, nor to a health plan excluded from the definition of "health plan" as defined in RCW 48.43.005.
2. (2) WAC 284-43-5400 through 284-43-5820 do not require provider reimbursement at the same levels negotiated by the base-benchmark plan's issuer for their plan.
3. (3) WAC 284-43-5400 through 284-43-5820 do not require a health benefit plan to exclude the services or treatments from coverage that are excluded in the base-benchmark plan.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 48.02.060, 48.43.012, 48.43.01211, 48.43.0123, 48.43.0124, 48.43.0126, 48.43.0127, 48.43.0128, and 48.43.715. WSR 20-03-114 (Matter No. R 2019-10), § 284-43-5400, filed 1/16/20, effective 2/16/20. Statutory Authority: RCW 48.02.060. WSR 16-14-106 (Matter No. R 2016-11), § 284-43-5400, filed 7/6/16, effective 8/6/16. WSR 16-01-081, recodified as § 284-43-5400, filed 12/14/15, effective 12/14/15. Statutory Authority: RCW 48.02.060, 48.21.241, 48.21.320, 48.44.050, 48.44.341, 48.44.460, 48.46.200, 48.46.291, 48.46.530, 48.43.715, and Pub. L. No. 111-148, 124 Stat. 119 (Mar. 23, 2010) (PPACA), as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (HCERA), Pub. L. No. 111-152, 124 Stat. 1029 (Mar. 30, 2010), in particular § 1302 of PPACA, § 10104 (b)(1) (HCERA). WSR 13-15-025 (Matter No. R 2012-17), § 284-43-849, filed 7/9/13, effective 7/10/13.]