Access to care policies for admission, nondiscrimination, and reproductive health care — Requirement to submit, post on website, and use department-created form.
RCW 70.41.520
in effect(1) Every hospital must submit to the department its policies related to access to care regarding: (a) Admission; (b) End-of-life care and the death with dignity act, chapter 70.245 RCW; (c) Nondiscrimination; and (d) Reproductive health care. (2) The department shall post a copy of the policies received under subsection (1) of this section on its website. (3) If a hospital makes changes to any of the policies listed under subsection (1) of this section, it must submit a copy of the changed policy to the department within thirty days after the hospital approves the changes. (4) A hospital must post a copy of the policies provided to the department under subsection (1) of this section and the forms required under subsection (5) of this section to the hospital's own website in a location where the policies are readily accessible to the public without a required login or other restriction. (5)(a) The department shall, in consultation with stakeholders including a hospital association and patient advocacy groups, develop two simple and clear forms to be submitted by hospitals along with the policies required in subsection (1) of this section. One form must provide the public with specific information about which reproductive health care services are and are not generally available at each hospital. The other form must provide the public with specific information about which end-of-life services are and are not generally available at each hospital. Each form must include contact information for the hospital in case patients have specific questions about services available at the hospital. (b) The department shall provide the form required in this subsection related to end-of-life care and the death with dignity act, chapter 70.245 RCW, by November 1, 2023. Hospitals shall submit the completed form to the department within 60 days of the form being provided.
(1) Every hospital must submit to the department its policies related to access to care regarding:
(a) Admission;
(b) End-of-life care and the death with dignity act, chapter 70.245 RCW;
(c) Nondiscrimination; and
(d) Reproductive health care.
(2) The department shall post a copy of the policies received under subsection (1) of this section on its website.
(3) If a hospital makes changes to any of the policies listed under subsection (1) of this section, it must submit a copy of the changed policy to the department within thirty days after the hospital approves the changes.
(4) A hospital must post a copy of the policies provided to the department under subsection (1) of this section and the forms required under subsection (5) of this section to the hospital's own website in a location where the policies are readily accessible to the public without a required login or other restriction.
(5)(a) The department shall, in consultation with stakeholders including a hospital association and patient advocacy groups, develop two simple and clear forms to be submitted by hospitals along with the policies required in subsection (1) of this section. One form must provide the public with specific information about which reproductive health care services are and are not generally available at each hospital. The other form must provide the public with specific information about which end-of-life services are and are not generally available at each hospital. Each form must include contact information for the hospital in case patients have specific questions about services available at the hospital.
(b) The department shall provide the form required in this subsection related to end-of-life care and the death with dignity act, chapter 70.245 RCW, by November 1, 2023. Hospitals shall submit the completed form to the department within 60 days of the form being provided.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=70.41&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026