Mental health services — Group health plans — Definition — Coverage required, when. (Effective until January 1, 2027.)
RCW 48.21.241
in effect(1) For the purposes of this section, "mental health services" means: (a) For health benefit plans that provide coverage for medical and surgical services issued or renewed before January 1, 2021, medically necessary outpatient and inpatient services provided to treat mental disorders covered by the diagnostic categories listed in the most current version of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, published by the American psychiatric association, on June 11, 2020, or such subsequent date as may be provided by the insurance commissioner by rule, consistent with the purposes of chapter 6, Laws of 2005, with the exception of the following categories, codes, and services: (i) Substance related disorders; (ii) life transition problems, currently referred to as "V" codes, and diagnostic codes 302 through 302.9 as found in the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th edition, published by the American psychiatric association; (iii) skilled nursing facility services, home health care, residential treatment, and custodial care; and (iv) court ordered treatment unless the insurer's medical director or designee determines the treatment to be medically necessary; and (b) For health benefit plans that provide coverage for medical and surgical services issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2021, medically necessary outpatient and inpatient services provided to treat mental health and substance use disorders covered by the diagnostic categories listed in the most current version of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, published by the American psychiatric association, on June 11, 2020, or such subsequent date as may be provided by the insurance commissioner by rule, consistent with the purposes of chapter 6, Laws of 2005. (2) All group disability insurance contracts and blanket disability insurance contracts providing health benefit plans that provide coverage for medical and surgical services shall provide coverage for: (a) Mental health services. The copayment or coinsurance for mental health services may be no more than the copayment or coinsurance for medical and surgical services otherwise provided under the health benefit plan. Wellness and preventive services that are provided or reimbursed at a lesser copayment, coinsurance, or other cost sharing than other medical and surgical services are excluded from this comparison. If the health benefit plan imposes a maximum out-of-pocket limit or stop loss, it shall be a single limit or stop loss for medical, surgical, and mental health services. If the health benefit plan imposes any deductible, mental health services shall be included with medical and surgical services for the purpose of meeting the deductible requirement. Treatment limitations or any other financial requirements on coverage for mental health services are only allowed if the same limitations or requirements are imposed on coverage for medical and surgical services; and (b) Prescription drugs intended to treat any of the disorders covered in subsection (1) of this section to the same extent, and under the same terms and conditions, as other prescription drugs covered by the health benefit plan. (3) This section does not prohibit a requirement that mental health services be medically necessary, if a comparable requirement is applicable to medical and surgical services. (4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the management of mental health services if a comparable requirement is applicable to medical and surgical services.
(1) For the purposes of this section, "mental health services" means:
(a) For health benefit plans that provide coverage for medical and surgical services issued or renewed before January 1, 2021, medically necessary outpatient and inpatient services provided to treat mental disorders covered by the diagnostic categories listed in the most current version of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, published by the American psychiatric association, on June 11, 2020, or such subsequent date as may be provided by the insurance commissioner by rule, consistent with the purposes of chapter 6, Laws of 2005, with the exception of the following categories, codes, and services: (i) Substance related disorders; (ii) life transition problems, currently referred to as "V" codes, and diagnostic codes 302 through 302.9 as found in the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 4th edition, published by the American psychiatric association; (iii) skilled nursing facility services, home health care, residential treatment, and custodial care; and (iv) court ordered treatment unless the insurer's medical director or designee determines the treatment to be medically necessary; and
(b) For health benefit plans that provide coverage for medical and surgical services issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2021, medically necessary outpatient and inpatient services provided to treat mental health and substance use disorders covered by the diagnostic categories listed in the most current version of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, published by the American psychiatric association, on June 11, 2020, or such subsequent date as may be provided by the insurance commissioner by rule, consistent with the purposes of chapter 6, Laws of 2005.
(2) All group disability insurance contracts and blanket disability insurance contracts providing health benefit plans that provide coverage for medical and surgical services shall provide coverage for:
(a) Mental health services. The copayment or coinsurance for mental health services may be no more than the copayment or coinsurance for medical and surgical services otherwise provided under the health benefit plan. Wellness and preventive services that are provided or reimbursed at a lesser copayment, coinsurance, or other cost sharing than other medical and surgical services are excluded from this comparison. If the health benefit plan imposes a maximum out-of-pocket limit or stop loss, it shall be a single limit or stop loss for medical, surgical, and mental health services. If the health benefit plan imposes any deductible, mental health services shall be included with medical and surgical services for the purpose of meeting the deductible requirement. Treatment limitations or any other financial requirements on coverage for mental health services are only allowed if the same limitations or requirements are imposed on coverage for medical and surgical services; and
(b) Prescription drugs intended to treat any of the disorders covered in subsection (1) of this section to the same extent, and under the same terms and conditions, as other prescription drugs covered by the health benefit plan.
(3) This section does not prohibit a requirement that mental health services be medically necessary, if a comparable requirement is applicable to medical and surgical services.
(4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the management of mental health services if a comparable requirement is applicable to medical and surgical services.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=48.21&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026