WA HB1326

Health plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026 must cover diagnosis and treatment of obesity as a chronic disease, including intensive behavioral/lifestyle treatment, metabolic and bariatric surgery, and FDA-approved obesity medications

Coverage criteria for FDA-approved obesity medications cannot be more restrictive than FDA-approved indications, and cost-sharing (deductibles, copays, coinsurance) must be equivalent to coverage for other medical conditions

The Health Care Authority must apply for federal matching funds by November 1, 2025, and upon federal authorization, Medicaid and managed care organizations must provide the same obesity treatment coverage

Health carriers and Medicaid may still apply utilization management to determine medical necessity, but must use the same standards applied to other covered conditions

Intensive health behavior and lifestyle treatment includes CDC-certified or clinically recommended interventions delivered in-person or via telemedicine