This subchapter applies to:

(1) Health plans;

(2) Plans deemed by the commissioner to have a short-term limited purpose or duration;

(3) Plans deemed by the commissioner to be student-only health plans that are guaranteed renewable while the covered person is enrolled as a regular, full-time undergraduate student at an accredited higher education institution; and

(4) Issuers.

The purpose of this subchapter is to consolidate existing state mental health and substance use disorder regulation with federal mental health and substance use disorder parity requirements into state regulation. This rule also provides health plans, plans deemed by the commissioner to have a short-term limited purpose or duration, or to be student-only health plans that are guaranteed renewable while the covered person is enrolled as a regular, full-time undergraduate student at an accredited higher education institution and issuers with the method of demonstrating compliance with these requirements. A plan or issuer's obligation to comply with these requirements is nondelegable; a plan or issuer is obligated to ensure compliance with WAC 284-43-7000 through 284-43-7120, even if they use a third-party vendor or subcontracting arrangement. A plan or issuer is not exempt from any of these requirements because it relied upon a third-party vendor or subcontracting arrangement for administration of any aspect of its mental health or substance use disorder benefits or services.