Credentialing by state / Washington
Nurse Practitioner Credentialing in Washington
Enrollments are billed 50% at the start and 50% at submission; everything else 100% at the start.
| NP practice environment | Full Practice (AANP) |
|---|---|
| Licensing authority | The Washington board of nursing alone |
| Medicare contractor | Noridian Healthcare Solutions, jurisdiction JF |
| Medicaid | Apple Health, enrolled through ProviderOne |
| Medicaid managed care | 5 plans, 1,660,905 members (2024) |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield plan | Premera Blue Cross and Regence BlueShield |
Washington Is a Full Practice State
The American Association of Nurse Practitioners classifies Washington as full practice: state law lets nurse practitioners evaluate patients, diagnose, order and interpret tests, and prescribe under the exclusive licensure authority of the state board of nursing. 28 of the 50 states and DC have that classification.
For credentialing, full practice means the application is about you alone. Apple Health and the commercial plans in Washington generally do not ask for a collaborating physician, so the fields that hold up NP files in other states are simply absent. Medicare's rule for NP services (42 CFR 410.75) defers to state law on collaboration, and where state law is silent it expects the NP to document their scope of practice and how they work with physicians on issues outside it. Enrollment itself runs through PECOS and Noridian Healthcare Solutions on the CMS-855I like any other independent practitioner.
What still slows Washington NPs down is the business side: an NP-owned entity needs its own Type 2 NPI, a group enrollment and a reassignment for each clinician, and some commercial plans review NP-owned practices more slowly than physician groups. If you are new to independent practice, confirm with the board whether any transition-to-practice hours apply to you before the applications go in, because payers will ask for the license status that results.
Apple Health Managed-Care Plans for NPs
After the state enrollment, each managed-care plan credentials you as its own application. The largest in Washington by 2024 enrollment:
- Molina Healthcare of Washington: 837,457 members, owned by Molina
- Community Health Plan: 252,143 members
- UnitedHealthcare: 208,078 members, owned by UnitedHealth Group
See all 5 plans.
Neighboring States
Every state bordering Washington is also full practice, so the agreement rules are similar across the line, though each state still needs its own license and payer enrollments.
- Idaho NP credentialing (Full Practice)
- Oregon NP credentialing (Full Practice)
The full NP checklist, the entity decision and where applications stall are in our nurse practitioner credentialing guide. For Medicare, Medicaid and commercial plans for every clinician type in the state, see credentialing in Washington.
Questions Washington NPs Ask
Do Washington nurse practitioners need a collaborating physician to get credentialed?
No. AANP classifies Washington as full practice, so payers generally do not require a collaborating physician on an NP application. Check with the board of nursing whether any transition-to-practice requirement applies to a newly licensed NP.
How does a Washington NP join Apple Health?
Enroll with the Washington State Health Care Authority through ProviderOne. Most Apple Health members are in managed care (1,660,905 enrolled across 5 plans in 2024), so after the state enrollment is active, each plan you want, such as Molina Healthcare of Washington, Community Health Plan, UnitedHealthcare, credentials you separately.
Can an NP licensed in Washington see patients in a neighboring state?
Only with a license from that state, and each state's practice rules apply to the patients there. Idaho is full practice; Oregon is full practice. Payer enrollment is also per state, so seeing patients across the line means a separate Medicaid enrollment and separate commercial applications there.
What does PECS charge a Washington NP?
CAQH (DataSpring) profile build $500; Medicare enrollment $500; Apple Health enrollment $500; each commercial application, including Premera Blue Cross and Regence BlueShield, $200 per provider. Enrollment services bill 50% at engagement and 50% at submission.
Answers cover PECS services, prices and process. For legal, tax or clinical questions please consult a professional.
Sources: American Association of Nurse Practitioners, State Practice Environment (updated May 2026); KFF, Medicaid MCO Enrollment by Plan and Parent Firm, 2024. Practice classification is AANP's; confirm current rules with the Washington board of nursing. Updated October 7, 2026.