Telehealth in Washington State

Telehealth care takes place where the patient is located at the time of the appointment. This means that practice laws and requirements in the patient's location regulate healthcare professionals' practice. Washington state has passed laws related to telehealth and telemedicine, addressing definitions; regulations; scope of practice; licensing, credentialing, and privileging requirements; consent; prescribing; privacy and security; billing and reimbursement; and documentation and coding. These laws are codified into one or more Revised Code of Washington (RCW), which new legislation can amend. The Washington Administrative Code (WAC) may provide additional guidance.

This page provides information on telehealth-related Washington state legislation, RCWs, and WACs. It includes links to guiding documents and standards of practice for various health care professionals. It also provides information on payer policies; telehealth and telemedicine billing and reimbursement; and COVID-19 pandemic-related guidance, waiver, and temporary changes.

Please refer to the original source documents for current information. Do not regard the information provided here as legal advice. It is for informational purposes only. Always consult with legal counsel when addressing legal and regulatory considerations.

SB 5325

• Requires behavioral health administrative services organizations and managed care organizations to reimburse providers for behavioral health services provided via telemedicine or store-and-forward technology under specified conditions.

SB 5423

• Allows practitioners licensed by other states or territories to hold consultations via telemedicine with practitioners licensed in Washington with responsibility to diagnosis and treat patients in Washington.

HB 1196

• Defines and allows audio-only telemedicine services with established patients who have had at least one in-person visit in the last year. Takes effect January 1, 2023.
• Describes possible violations that would result in disciplinary actions.

SSB 6061

• Moves telemedicine training effective date to January 1, 2021.
• Makes the training required and adds an exemption for MDs and DOs.
• Outlines training topics and clarifies definitions.

SB 5385

• Requires reimbursement for telemedicine services at the same rate as in-person services, with some exceptions.
• Immediately effective due to the public health emergency.
• Directs WSTC to study store-and-forward technology and specifies foci of the study.

SB 5387

• Clarifies language on credentialing and privileging in telemedicine services.

SSB 5386

• Requests those providing clinical telemedicine services to complete a telemedicine training effective January 1, 2020.
• Directs the WSTC to make online telemedicine training available.

SB 5436

• Defines home as any location determined by the person receiving the services.

SB 6519

• Adds home as an originating site
• Establishes the WA State Telehealth Collaborative (WSTC)
• Sets standards for the safety and effectiveness of services
• Makes store and forward technology eligible for "credential by proxy."

SB 5175

• Establishes key definitions
• Requires coverage parity under specified conditions
• Specifies eligible patient locations
• Allows originating sites to charge a facility fee
• Discusses credentialing