WA SB5847

Injured workers must be informed of their right to choose their own medical provider; employers are prohibited from requiring or inducing workers to seek treatment from specific providers or clinics, with violations subject to penalties

Workers unable to find a network provider within 15 miles of their home may seek treatment from nonnetwork providers who agree to accept the department's fee schedule

Utilization review for treatment approval requests must be completed within 10 business days or the treatment is automatically authorized

Network providers must follow department treatment guidelines only "when medically appropriate as determined by the provider," giving physicians greater clinical discretion

For workers with accepted cancer diagnoses, the department or self-insured employer must continue paying for ongoing monitoring at the frequency recommended by the treating oncologist, including diagnostic studies and consultations