Legislation to protect access to no-cost preventive health services in Washington state has cleared the Washington state House of Representatives, with House Bill 2242 passing by a 57–39 vote on Wednesday, Feb. 11.
HB 2242, requested by Governor Bob Ferguson and Washington Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer, is designed to maintain access to preventive services without cost-sharing for Washington residents who choose to use them, preserving the no-cost preventive coverage Washington residents have had since 2010.
Under current law, preventive services are tied to recommendations from the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the US Preventive Health Services Task Force, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. HB 2242 would change state law so that vaccine coverage is tied to recommendations from the Washington state Department of Health, while coverage standards for other preventive services would be based on recommendations from the US Preventive Services Health Task Force and the Health Resources and Services Administration, effective June 30, 2025.
The reference material does not specify any effective date for the change tying vaccine coverage specifically to Washington state Department of Health recommendations, beyond stating that the bill “changes state law,” and it notes that a companion measure, Senate Bill 5967, is still awaiting a vote by the full Washington state Senate. The Department of Health and the Office of the Insurance Commissioner would be responsible for implementing the new Washington law if it passes.
