(1) No later than September 1, 2009, all state purchased health care programs shall, except for state purchased health care services that are purchased from or through health carriers as defined in RCW 48.43.005, implement evidence-based best practice guidelines or protocols applicable to advanced diagnostic imaging services, and the decision support tools to implement the guidelines or protocols, identified under RCW 70.250.050.

(2) By January 1, 2012, and every January 1st thereafter, all state purchased health care programs must implement the evidence-based best practice guidelines or protocols and strategies identified under RCW 70.250.050, after the administrator, in consultation with participating agencies, has affirmatively reviewed and endorsed the recommendations. This requirement applies to health carriers, as defined in RCW 48.43.005 and to entities acting as third-party administrators that contract with state purchased health care programs to provide or administer health benefits for enrollees of those programs. If the collaborative fails to reach consensus within the time frames identified in this section and RCW 70.250.050, state purchased health care programs may pursue implementation of evidence-based strategies on their own initiative.

Findings—Intent—2011 c 313: See note following RCW 70.250.050.