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SB 5568

Updating and modernizing the Washington state health plan.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Annette Cleveland and 2 co-sponsors

The bill modernizes statewide health planning by expanding OFM’s data access and analysis to create a statewide health resources strategy with equity, timelines, and public input.

Effective date 7/27/2025.
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Bill Summary · SB 5568

Summary — SB 5568 (Chapter 388, 2025 Laws)

Updating and modernizing the Washington state health plan

Status: Enacted (Governor signed 05/20/2025). Effective date: July 27, 2025. Introduced: 01/29/2025.

Purpose and intent

SB 5568 directs the Office of Financial Management (OFM) to update Washington’s long‑standing state health plan by developing a modern statewide health resources strategy. The update is intended to align planning with current health system realities (including equity, data availability, changing delivery models, and cost pressures) and to improve statewide decisionmaking about facility and service needs.

Key provisions

  • OFM duties
    • Lead development of a statewide health resources strategy in coordination with relevant public and private stakeholders.
    • Conduct strategic health planning activities and develop (or contract for) a computerized system to access, analyze, and disseminate planning data.
    • Conduct or commission research and analyses to support the strategy.
  • Planning content
    • The strategy must address availability of health care facilities and services, quality of care, cost of care, geographic needs (health service areas), rural resource needs, emerging delivery/technology trends, and a health care data resource plan.
    • Principles of health equity must be explicitly considered.
  • Data access and sharing
    • OFM is authorized to access and use relevant data to avoid duplicative collection, including: the all‑payer claims database (APCD), Health Care Authority annual reporting, Department of Health (DOH) provider and facility licensing data, and other relevant HCA, DOH, Office of the Insurance Commissioner, Health Benefit Exchange, and DSHS data.
    • Use and disclosure of data must comply with state and federal confidentiality laws and maintain the same degree of nondisclosure as the originating agency (e.g., DOH/HCA).
  • Public engagement
    • OFM must hold at least one public hearing and accept written comment prior to issuing a preliminary report, and hold another public meeting prior to finalizing and issuing the statewide strategy and subsequent updates.
  • Reporting timeline
    • Preliminary report on development work due to the Governor and appropriate legislative committees: July 1, 2026.
    • Completed statewide health resources strategy due: December 31, 2027 — must include projections and policy recommendations through 2032.
    • Beginning January 1, 2033, OFM must report on updates and implementation on a recurring schedule specified in the statute (periodic updates thereafter).
  • Relation to Certificate of Need
    • The statute reaffirms that CON determinations should be consistent with the statewide strategy; (the DOH CON program review directed by the Legislature in 2024 is noted in bill history).

Who is affected

  • OFM (primary implementer)
  • State agencies that hold health data (DOH, HCA, OIC, HBE, DSHS)
  • Health care facilities and providers (hospitals, behavioral health hospitals, nursing homes, ambulatory surgical centers, home health agencies, etc.)
  • Certificate of Need process stakeholders (applicants, communities)
  • The public and stakeholder groups (via hearings and comment opportunities)

Fiscal and procedural notes

  • Appropriation: None included in the bill text; a fiscal note is available.
  • Effective: 90 days after adjournment of the session — recorded as July 27, 2025.
  • Legislative process: Passed both chambers (House amendments concurred by Senate); delivered to Governor 04/25/2025; signed 05/20/2025.

This bill modernizes statutory authority for statewide health planning, expands OFM’s data access and analytic responsibilities, requires explicit attention to health equity, and sets clear deadlines for a preliminary and final strategy with multi‑year projections.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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