The legislature finds that:
(1) The activities authorized by this chapter will require collaboration among state agencies and local governments that are involved in health care, private health carriers, third-party purchasers, health care providers, and hospitals. These activities will identify strategies to increase the quality and effectiveness of health care delivered in Washington state and are therefore in the best interest of the public.
(2) The benefits of collaboration, together with active state supervision, outweigh potential adverse impacts. Therefore, the legislature intends to exempt from state antitrust laws, and provide immunity through the state action doctrine from federal antitrust laws, activities that are undertaken, reviewed, and approved by the authority pursuant to this chapter that might otherwise be constrained by such laws. The legislature does not intend and does not authorize any person or entity to engage in activities not provided for by this chapter, and the legislature neither exempts nor provides immunity for such activities including, but not limited to, agreements among competing providers or carriers to set prices or specific levels of reimbursement for health care services.
[ 2019 c 319 § 1; 2014 c 223 § 9.]
NOTES:
Effective date—2019 c 319: See note following RCW 43.371.020.
Finding—2014 c 223: See note following RCW 41.05.690.