Concerning the health technology assessment program.

New deadlines for Washington health technology reviews

Beginning June 11, 2026, Washington changes how it reviews health technologies used in state health programs. Review priority goes to technologies supported by Medicare access rules or nationally recognized treatment guidelines. They must also raise safety, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, or uneven-use concerns; involve high actual or expected state spending; and have enough evidence. Interested parties can petition for reviews of technologies not otherwise selected. Technologies with a committee decision must be reviewed again at least every 18 months from that decision. New evidence that could change an earlier decision also triggers a rereview, which considers new evidence alongside the earlier evidence. Selected technologies receive a systematic assessment of safety, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness by a federally designated evidence-review center or another appropriate organization. Assessments cannot begin until at least 30 days after the selection notice appears online. They must consider agency data and evidence from interested parties, give the strongest evidence the most weight, and address differences tied to sex, age, ethnicity, race, or disability. For life-threatening or rare diseases, the committee must evaluate all applicable trials published in peer-reviewed medical literature, including randomized trials. It must also consider relevant expert information explaining why a trial design is unethical, impractical, or impossible. Washington must post notice within 30 days after receiving a new-review or rereview submission. Within 180 days of the initial submission, the committee must finish its review, decide, and notify the submitter. An adverse decision requires a substantive written explanation within that same deadline. These rules do not themselves grant coverage or change household costs.