Wash. Rev. Code § 48.43.830 (SB 5395, Ch. 157, Laws of 2026)

Only a licensed physician or a licensed health professional working within their scope of practice may deny a prior authorization request based on medical necessity. The licensed physician or licensed health professional shall evaluate the specific clinical issues involved in the health care services requested by the requesting provider by reviewing and considering the requesting provider's recommendation, the enrollee's medical or other clinical history, as applicable, and individual clinical circumstances. Artificial intelligence shall not be the sole means used to deny, delay, or modify health care services.

The sentence names who may deny — a licensed physician or health professional — not who answers for the tool. The duty has no bearer in this provision.

A carrier that uses artificial intelligence for the purpose of prior authorization or prior authorization functions, based in whole or in part on medical necessity, or that contracts with or otherwise works through an entity that uses artificial intelligence for the purpose of prior authorization or prior authorization functions, based in whole or in part on medical necessity, shall ensure all of the following:

Here the carrier is the grammatical subject, and the reach extends through its vendors. One subsection apart, the same section does both. That is why this site orders provisions, not acts.