Washington Bill Preserves Preventive Services Coverage
Summary
Washington State's Senate has passed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 2242, ensuring continued full coverage for preventive health services by insurance plans. The bill, requested by the Governor and Insurance Commissioner, ties vaccine coverage to state Department of Health recommendations and other preventive services to federal task force guidelines.
What changed
Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 2242 has passed the Washington State Senate, codifying the requirement for health insurance plans to provide full coverage for preventive services without cost-sharing. This legislation, requested by Governor Bob Ferguson and Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer, aims to ensure that coverage decisions are based on recommendations from medical experts and public health authorities, rather than political appointees. The bill specifically ties vaccine coverage to recommendations from the Washington State Department of Health and other preventive services to guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Health Task Force and the Health Resources and Services Administration.
This new law will require insurers and healthcare providers in Washington to continue offering no-cost coverage for services such as well-child visits and immunizations. The Department of Health and the Office of the Insurance Commissioner are responsible for implementation. The bill sets an effective date of June 30, 2025, for the coverage standards for preventive services. While the bill has passed the legislature, it awaits the Governor's signature. Compliance will be mandatory for health plans operating within Washington State.
What to do next
- Review Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 2242 for specific coverage requirements.
- Update insurance plan documents and policies to reflect new coverage standards for preventive services.
- Ensure compliance with the June 30, 2025, effective date for preventive service coverage standards.
Source document (simplified)
Bill to preserve preventive services protections passes Senate
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February 26, 2026
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Preventive services will remain covered in full by health insurance plans for Washington residents who choose to use them, thanks to legislation passed on Thursday, Feb. 26, by the state House of Representatives.
Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 2242, requested by both Gov. Bob Ferguson and Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer, passed by a 36-12 vote. The bill maintains the no-cost coverage for services like well-child visits and immunizations that Washingtonians have had since 2010.
“These are important services for people who choose to use them,” Kuderer said. “This bill ensures that the recommendations will continue to come from trained medical experts, rather than political appointees with no background in medicine or science.”
Recommendations currently come from the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the U.S. Preventive Health Services Task Force, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. The federal government recently narrowed access to certain vaccines.
“Donald Trump’s CDC has become a political tool that increasingly peddles ideology instead of science,” Gov. Ferguson said. “We must protect Washingtonians’ health from the chaos of the federal government.”
ESSB 2242, sponsored by Rep. Dan Bronoske (D–Lakewood), changes state law to tie the coverage of vaccines to recommendations from the Washington state Department of Health. The bill sets the coverage standards for other preventive services based on recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Health Task Force and Health Resources and Services Administration, effective on June 30, 2025.
The Senate version of the bill, SB 5967, was sponsored by Sen. Annette Cleveland (D–Vancouver).
The Department of Health and Kuderer’s office will be responsible for implementing the new law, which now heads to Gov. Ferguson’s desk for a signature.
The 2026 legislative session concludes on Thursday, March 12.
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