Washington 2023-2024 Regular Session Status: Enacted 12 D cosponsors

HB 1979 — Reducing the cost of inhalers and epinephrine autoinjectors.

Last action — Effective date 6/6/2024.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced December 19, 2023. Enacted.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 82% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 12 sponsors

    1 primary, 11 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (12 D).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

62 added · 70 removed

Plain-language change summary

The updated version of HB 1979 modifies the cap on out-of-pocket costs for asthma inhalers, now stating that enrollees will pay no more than $35 for any covered asthma inhaler, rather than just for certain types of inhalers. This change simplifies access to asthma medication by ensuring that all types of inhalers are subject to the same cost limit, which is important for patients who need reliable access to their medications. Additionally, the previous requirement to always ensure the availability of specific inhaled corticosteroids has been removed, potentially increasing patient choice and simplifying the insurance provider's obligations.

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H-2810.1 SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1979 State of Washington 68th Legislature 2024 Regular Session By House Health Care & Wellness (originally sponsored by Representatives Paul, Leavitt, Duerr, Reed, Ormsby, Callan, Kloba, Doglio, Fosse, Ortiz-Self, Hackney, and Shavers) READ FIRST TIME 01/26/24.
H-2269.1 HOUSE BILL 1979 State of Washington 68th Legislature 2024 Regular Session By Representatives Paul, Leavitt, Duerr, Reed, Ormsby, Callan, Kloba, Doglio, Fosse, Ortiz-Self, Hackney, and Shavers Prefiled 12/19/23.
Read first time 01/08/24.
Referred to Committee on Health Care & Wellness.
1 SHB 1979 coverage of prescription insulin for diabetes at the minimum level necessary to preserve the enrollee's ability to claim tax exempt contributions from his or her health savings account under internal revenue service laws and regulations.
1 HB 1979 coverage of prescription insulin for diabetes at the minimum level necessary to preserve the enrollee's ability to claim tax exempt contributions from his or her health savings account under internal revenue service laws and regulations.
(2)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, a health plan issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, that provides coverage for prescription asthma inhalers for the treatment of asthma shall cap the total amount that an enrollee is required to pay for at least one covered inhaled corticosteroid and at least one covered inhaled corticosteroid combination that is federal food and drug administration approved for the treatment of asthma at an amount not to exceed $35 per 30-day supply of the drug.
(2)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, a health plan issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, that provides coverage for prescription asthma inhalers for the treatment of asthma shall cap the total amount that an enrollee is required to pay for a covered asthma inhaler at an amount not to exceed $35 per 30-day supply of the drug.
A health plan must ensure that a covered inhaled corticosteroid and a covered inhaled corticosteroid combination is always available to a patient at the amount required by this subsection.
(3)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, a health plan issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, that provides coverage for prescription epinephrine autoinjectors for the treatment of allergic reaction shall cap the total amount that an enrollee is p.
(3)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, a health plan issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, that provides coverage for prescription epinephrine autoinjectors for the treatment of allergic reaction shall cap the total amount that an enrollee is required to pay for a covered epinephrine autoinjector at an amount not to exceed $35 per two pack of epinephrine autoinjectors for a total of six epinephrine autoinjectors per plan year.
2 SHB 1979 required to pay for at least one covered epinephrine autoinjector product containing at least two autoinjectors at an amount not to exceed $35.
Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, prescription epinephrine autoinjectors must be covered without being subject to a deductible, p.
A health plan must ensure that a covered epinephrine autoinjector is always available to a patient at the amount required by this subsection.
2 HB 1979 and any cost sharing paid by an enrollee must be applied toward the enrollee's deductible obligation.
Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, prescription epinephrine autoinjectors must be covered without being subject to a deductible, and any cost sharing paid by an enrollee must be applied toward the enrollee's deductible obligation.
(5) To the extent not prohibited under this section, health plans may apply drug utilization management strategies to prescription drugs covered under subsections (2) and (3) of this section.
3 SHB 1979
3 HB 1979
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Action History

  1. Effective date 6/6/2024.

  2. Chapter 226, 2024 Laws.

  3. Governor signed.

  4. Delivered to Governor.

  5. President signed.

  6. Speaker signed.

  7. Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.

  8. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

  9. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

  10. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

  11. HLTC - Majority; do pass.

  12. Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care at 8:00 AM.

  13. Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care at 8:00 AM.

  14. Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Health & Long Term Care at 10:30 AM.

  15. First reading, referred to Health & Long Term Care.

  16. Third reading, passed; yeas, 97; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 1.

  17. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

  18. 1st substitute bill substituted (HCW 24).

  19. Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.

  20. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

  21. HCW - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.

  22. Executive action taken in the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness at 1:30 PM.

  23. Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness at 8:00 AM.

  24. Executive session scheduled, but no action was taken in the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness at 1:30 PM.

  25. Public hearing in the House Committee on Health Care & Wellness at 1:30 PM.

  26. First reading, referred to Health Care & Wellness.

  27. Prefiled for introduction.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 11 co-sponsors · 139 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (11)

Not signed on (139)

139 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 139 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

3rd Reading & Final Passage (#4)

Passed 49 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 10000
Republican 16000
Democrat 23000
Total 49000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (49)
Member Party Vote
Billig — Yea
Hawkins — Yea
Keiser — Yea
Kuderer — Yea
Mullet — Yea
Padden — Yea
Randall — Yea
Rivers — Yea
Van De Wege — Yea
Wilson, L. — Yea
Annette Cleveland Democrat Yea
Bob Hasegawa Democrat Yea
Claire Wilson Democrat Yea
Claudia Kauffman Democrat Yea
Derek Stanford Democrat Yea
Drew Hansen Democrat Yea
Jamie Pedersen Democrat Yea
Javier Valdez Democrat Yea
Jesse Salomon Democrat Yea
Joe Nguyen Democrat Yea
John Lovick Democrat Yea
June Robinson Democrat Yea
Lisa Wellman Democrat Yea
Liz Lovelett Democrat Yea
Manka Dhingra Democrat Yea
Marko Liias Democrat Yea
Noel Frame Democrat Yea
Rebecca Saldaña Democrat Yea
Sharon Shewmake Democrat Yea
Steve Conway Democrat Yea
T'wina Nobles Democrat Yea
Victoria Hunt Democrat Yea
Yasmin Trudeau Democrat Yea
Chris Gildon Republican Yea
Curtis King Republican Yea
Drew MacEwen Republican Yea
Jeff Holy Republican Yea
Jeff Wilson Republican Yea
Jim McCune Republican Yea
John Braun Republican Yea
Judy Warnick Republican Yea
Keith Wagoner Republican Yea
Mark Schoesler Republican Yea
Matt Boehnke Republican Yea
Nikki Torres Republican Yea
Perry Dozier Republican Yea
Phil Fortunato Republican Yea
Ron Muzzall Republican Yea
Shelly Short Republican Yea

Official roll call →

3rd Reading & Final Passage (#18)

Passed 97 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 30000
Democrat 57000
Unaffiliated 10001
Total 97001
% of votes cast 99%0%0%1%
How each member voted (98)
Member Party Vote
Chambers — Yea
Chandler — Not Voting
Cheney — Yea
Chopp — Yea
Hutchins — Yea
Kretz — Yea
Maycumber — Yea
Mosbrucker — Yea
Robertson — Yea
Sandlin — Yea
Wilcox — Yea
Alex Ramel Democrat Yea
Alicia Rule Democrat Yea
Amy Walen Democrat Yea
April Berg Democrat Yea
Beth Doglio Democrat Yea
Bill Ramos Democrat Yea
Brandy Donaghy Democrat Yea
Chipalo Street Democrat Yea
Chris Stearns Democrat Yea
Cindy Ryu Democrat Yea
Clyde Shavers Democrat Yea
Dan Bronoske Democrat Yea
Darya Farivar Democrat Yea
Dave Paul Democrat Yea
David Hackney Democrat Yea
Davina Duerr Democrat Yea
Debra Entenman Democrat Yea
Debra Lekanoff Democrat Yea
Emily Alvarado Democrat Yea
Gerry Pollet Democrat Yea
Greg Nance Democrat Yea
Jake Fey Democrat Yea
Jamila Taylor Democrat Yea
Jessica Bateman Democrat Yea
Joe Fitzgibbon Democrat Yea
Joe Timmons Democrat Yea
Julia Reed Democrat Yea
Julio Cortes Democrat Yea
Kristine Reeves Democrat Yea
Larry Springer Democrat Yea
Lauren Davis Democrat Yea
Laurie Jinkins Democrat Yea
Lillian Ortiz-Self Democrat Yea
Lisa Callan Democrat Yea
Liz Berry Democrat Yea
Marcus Riccelli Democrat Yea
Mari Leavitt Democrat Yea
Mary Fosse Democrat Yea
Melanie Morgan Democrat Yea
Mia Gregerson Democrat Yea
Mike Chapman Democrat Yea
Monica Jurado Stonier Democrat Yea
My-Linh Thai Democrat Yea
Nicole Macri Democrat Yea
Roger Goodman Democrat Yea
Sharlett Mena Democrat Yea
Sharon Tomiko Santos Democrat Yea
Sharon Wylie Democrat Yea
Shelley Kloba Democrat Yea
Steve Bergquist Democrat Yea
Steve Tharinger Democrat Yea
Strom Peterson Democrat Yea
Tana Senn Democrat Yea
Tarra Simmons Democrat Yea
Timm Ormsby Democrat Yea
Tina Orwall Democrat Yea
Vandana Slatter Democrat Yea
Alex Ybarra Republican Yea
Andrew Barkis Republican Yea
April Connors Republican Yea
Carolyn Eslick Republican Yea
Chris Corry Republican Yea
Cyndy Jacobsen Republican Yea
Dan Griffey Republican Yea
Drew Stokesbary Republican Yea
Ed Orcutt Republican Yea
Jenny Graham Republican Yea
Jim Walsh Republican Yea
Joe Schmick Republican Yea
Joel McEntire Republican Yea
Keith Goehner Republican Yea
Kevin Waters Republican Yea
Leonard Christian Republican Yea
Mark Klicker Republican Yea
Mary Dye Republican Yea
Michelle Valdez Republican Yea
Mike Steele Republican Yea
Mike Volz Republican Yea
Paul Harris Republican Yea
Peter Abbarno Republican Yea
Sam Low Republican Yea
Skyler Rude Republican Yea
Stephanie Barnard Republican Yea
Stephanie McClintock Republican Yea
Suzanne Schmidt Republican Yea
Tom Dent Republican Yea
Travis Couture Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

healthcare health-insurance
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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 1979?
HB 1979 is sponsored by Clyde Shavers (Democrat), David Hackney (Democrat), Lillian Ortiz-Self (Democrat), Mary Fosse (Democrat), Beth Doglio (Democrat), Shelley Kloba (Democrat), Lisa Callan (Democrat), Timm Ormsby (Democrat), Julia Reed (Democrat), Davina Duerr (Democrat), Mari Leavitt (Democrat), and Dave Paul (Democrat).
What is the current status of HB 1979?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced December 19, 2023. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 1979?
Track HB 1979 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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