House committee reviews bill requiring standard consumer notice for ambulance bills after crashes

House Health Care & Wellness Committee heard public testimony Wednesday on House Bill 1187, which would require the Washington State Department of Health, in consultation with the Office of the Insurance Commissioner and other stakeholders, to develop a standard consumer notice about ambulance billing after motor vehicle accidents by Jan. 1, 2026.

The bill would require ambulance services, including ground and air ambulances, to attempt to collect auto, personal injury and relevant health insurance information at the time of transport and to provide the DOH-created consumer notice at transport or within 60 days. If insurers are identified later, ambulance services must bill the insurer or the patient within 60 days of obtaining the information.

Supporters said the notice would help people confronted with unexpected bills after crashes. Sydney Regala, health policy analyst at the…