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HB1187 • 2026

Delayed ambulance bills

Protecting patients involved in motor vehicle accidents from delayed ambulance bills.

Healthcare
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Representative Ryu, Representative Thai, Representative Obras, Representative Macri, Representative Paul, Representative Callan, Representative Pollet, Representative Fey, Representative Kloba
Last action
2026-01-22
Official status
H subst for
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Delayed ambulance bills

Delayed ambulance bills

What This Bill Does

  • Delayed ambulance bills

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

1187-S.E AMS HLTC S5305.1

0 • Health & Long-Term Care

ADOPTED

Plain English: 1187-S.E AMS HLTC S5305.1 ESHB 1187 - S COMM AMD By Committee on Health & Long-Term Care ADOPTED 02/28/2026 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "NEW SECTION.

  • 1187-S.E AMS HLTC S5305.1 ESHB 1187 - S COMM AMD By Committee on Health & Long-Term Care ADOPTED 02/28/2026 Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the 1 following: 2 "NEW SECTION.
  • Sec.
  • 1.
  • A new section is added to chapter 18.73 3 RCW to read as follows: 4 (1) An ambulance service may not sell or assign medical debt 5 related to ambulance services following a motor vehicle accident to 6 any person licensed under chapter 19.16 RCW until at least 120 days 7 after the initial billing statement for that medical debt has been 8 transmitted to the patient and other responsible party.9 (2) For purposes of this section: 10 (a) "Motor vehicle accident" includes incidents where a 11 pedestrian or bicyclist is struck or otherwise injured by a motor 12 vehicle.
ADOPTED

Plain English: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 1187-S AMH RYUC WEIK 060 1 - Official Print By Representative Ryu EFFECT: Removes the bill's effective date of January 1, 2026, reverting to the default effective date of 90 days after adjournment of the legislative session.

  • 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 1187-S AMH RYUC WEIK 060 1 - Official Print By Representative Ryu EFFECT: Removes the bill's effective date of January 1, 2026, reverting to the default effective date of 90 days after adjournment of the legislative session.
  • 1187-S AMH RYUC WEIK 060 SHB 1187 - H AMD 1465 ADOPTED 01/22/2026 On page 2, beginning on line 17, strike all of section 3 --- END

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-22 House

    1st substitute bill substituted.

Official Summary Text

Delayed ambulance bills

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
AN ACT Relating to protecting patients involved in motor vehicle 1
accidents from delayed ambulance bills; adding a new section to 2
chapter 18.73 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 43.70 RCW; and 3
providing an effective date. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 18.73 6
RCW to read as follows: 7
(1)(a) Each ambulance service shall attempt to collect 8
automotive, health, personal injury, or any other relevant insurance 9
information from a patient that is involved in a motor vehicle 10
accident at the time transportation is provided. 11
(b) At the time of transportation, the ambulance service shall 12
attempt to provide the patient with the consumer notice created under 13
section 2 of this act. 14
(c) For purposes of this section, a motor vehicle accident 15
includes incidents where a pedestrian or bicyclist is struck or 16
otherwise injured by a motor vehicle. 17
(2) Within 60 days of the transportation, an ambulance service 18
must: 19
(a) Provide the patient with the consumer notice created under 20
section 2 of this act; and 21
H-0403.1
HOUSE BILL 1187
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Ryu, Thai, Obras, Macri, Paul, Callan, Pollet,
Fey, and Kloba
Prefiled 01/07/25. Read first time 01/13/25. Referred to Committee
on Health Care & Wellness.
p. 1 HB 1187
(b)(i) If the ambulance service collected the patient's insurance 1
information during transportation, bill the appropriate insurance or 2
the patient; or 3
(ii) If the ambulance service was unable to collect the patient's 4
insurance information during the transportation, attempt to collect 5
the patient's automotive, health, personal injury, or any other 6
relevant insurance information and bill the appropriate insurance or 7
the patient within 60 days of receiving this information.8
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 43.70 9
RCW to read as follows: 10
By January 1, 2026, the department, in consultation with the 11
office of the insurance commissioner, ambulance services, health 12
carriers, insurers, and consumers, shall develop a standard consumer 13
notice educating the public on the different types of insurance that 14
may cover a motor vehicle accident, the order in which the different 15
types of insurance are applied to ambulance service bills, the 16
insured's rights, and other information that would assist a person 17
that has received an ambulance service bill following a motor vehicle 18
accident. 19
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Section 1 of this act takes effect January 20
1, 2026.21
--- END ---
p. 2 HB 1187