Community Health Plan of Washington (CHPW) is closely monitoring the ongoing wildfires affecting communities across Washington State.
We recognize that these events may disrupt access to healthcare services for both providers and members.
Providers are encouraged to:
- Assess whether patients have been impacted by wildfire-related evacuations or disruptions.
- Assist members who need to reschedule missed appointments due to wildfire conditions.
- Ensure continuity of medically necessary care whenever possible.
- Coordinate with pharmacies and other providers if members require assistance accessing medications or ongoing treatment.
- Encourage members experiencing respiratory symptoms or other health concerns related to wildfire smoke to seek appropriate medical care.
- Notify CHPW if there are significant barriers to accessing medically necessary services.
For facilities affected by the wildfires starting July 31, 2026 through the end of the state emergency, CHPW will temporarily:
- Allow medically necessary replacement DME and medical supplies that were lost, destroyed, or made inaccessible due to the Spokane-area wildfires to be furnished without advance authorization. When authorization is required for payment, CHPW will accept a retroactive authorization request with documentation confirming the member was affected by the wildfire, no longer has access to the previously supplied item, and needs the replacement to maintain health and safety.
- Waive late inpatient notification requirements for affected facilities.
- Allow retroactive authorization requests for services requiring prior authorization when delays are related to the wildfires.
- Approve hospital lateral transfers provided the member continues to meet medical necessity for the inpatient level of care. The transferring facility may transfer the member to another accepting hospital without obtaining prior authorization from CHPW. The accepting facility must still submit an admission notification to CHPW as soon as practicable following the transfer.
- Approve a minimum of 10 days for any SNF/inpatient rehabilitation stay needed to discharge a member from an acute inpatient setting. Notification may be sent after discharge and will be processed retroactively.
Stay informed
Providers are encouraged to monitor official state and local emergency resources for the latest wildfire information, evacuation notices, air quality updates, and public health recommendations.
For the latest information on active wildfires, evacuation notices, preparedness, and recovery resources, please visit the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) webpage: https://dnr.wa.gov/wildfire-resources/current-wildfire-incident-information
If you have any questions regarding this bulletin or need assistance supporting CHPW members affected by the wildfires, please contact [email protected] or Customer Service at 1-800-440-1561.
Thank you for your continued partnership and dedication to serving CHPW members during this wildfire season.
