BP BHEAD INT S

AN ACT Relating to prohibiting discrimination against health care providers; amending RCW 48.01.030, 48.02.160, 48.05.140, 48.06.050, 48.11.070, 48.18.480, 48.20.412, 48.20.460, 48.21.142, 48.30.300, 48.34.070, 48.36A.160, 48.36A.370, 48.41.030, 48.42.080, 48.44.035, 48.44.310, and 48.66.041; adding new sections to chapter 48.46 RCW; adding new sections to chapter 48.62 RCW; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 48.01.030 and 1947 c 79 s .01.03 are each amended to read as follows:

The business of insurance is one affected by the public interest, requiring that all persons be actuated by good faith, abstain from deception, abstain from discrimination against health care providers, and practice honesty and equity in all insurance matters. Upon the insurer, the insured, and their representatives rests the duty of preserving inviolate the integrity of insurance.

Sec. 2. RCW 48.02.160 and 1988 c 248 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

The commissioner shall:

(1) Obtain and publish for the use of courts and appraisers throughout the state, tables showing the average expectancy of life and values of annuities and of life and term estates.

(2) Disseminate information concerning the insurance laws of this state.

(3) Provide assistance to members of the public in obtaining information about insurance products and in resolving complaints involving insurers and other licensees.

(4) Conduct investigations, hold hearings, and issue orders to ensure that all licensed health care providers including allopathic, osteopathic, chiropractic, podiatric, dental, naturopathic, or other licensed professionals are treated without discrimination in access, coverage, and payments by insurers and their representatives.

Sec. 3. RCW 48.05.140 and 1973 1st ex.s. c 152 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

The commissioner may refuse, suspend, or revoke an insurer's certificate of authority, in addition to other grounds therefor in this code, if the insurer:

(1) Fails to comply with any provision of this code other than those for violation of which refusal, suspension, or revocation is mandatory, or fails to comply with any proper order or regulation of the commissioner.

(2) Is found by the commissioner to be in such condition that its further transaction of insurance in this state would be hazardous to policyholders and the people in this state.

(3) Refuses to remove or discharge a director or officer who has been convicted of any crime involving fraud, dishonesty, or like moral turpitude.

(4) Usually compels claimants under policies either to accept less than the amount due them or to bring suit against it to secure full payment of the amount due.

(5) Is affiliated with and under the same general management, or interlocking directorate, or ownership as another insurer which transacts insurance in this state without having a certificate of authority therefor, except as is permitted by this code.

(6) Refuses to be examined, or if its directors, officers, employees or representatives refuse to submit to examination or to produce its accounts, records, and files for examination by the commissioner when required, or refuse to perform any legal obligation relative to the examination.

(7) Fails to pay any final judgment rendered against it in this state upon any policy, bond, recognizance, or undertaking issued or guaranteed by it, within thirty days after the judgment became final or within thirty days after time for taking an appeal has expired, or within thirty days after dismissal of an appeal before final determination, whichever date is the later.

(8) Is found by the commissioner, after investigation or upon receipt of reliable information, to be managed by persons, whether by its directors, officers, or by any other means, who are incompetent or untrustworthy or so lacking in insurance company managerial experience as to make a proposed operation hazardous to the insurance-buying public; or that there is good reason to believe it is affiliated directly or indirectly through ownership, control, reinsurance or other insurance or business relations, with any person or persons whose business operations are or have been marked, to the detriment of policyholders or stockholders or investors or creditors or of the public, by bad faith or by manipulation of assets, or of accounts, or of reinsurance.

(9) Does business through agents or brokers in this state or in any other state who are not properly licensed under applicable laws and duly enacted regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

(10) Persists in discriminating or wrongfully limiting access, coverage, or payment to health care licensees providing services.

Sec. 4. RCW 48.06.050 and 1967 c 150 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

The commissioner shall expeditiously examine the application for a solicitation permit and make any investigation relative thereto deemed necessary. If the commissioner finds that:

(1) The application is complete; and

(2) The documents therewith filed are equitable in terms and proper in form; and

(3) The management of the company, whether by its directors, officers, or by any other means is competent and trustworthy and not so lacking in managerial experience as to make a proposed operation hazardous to the insurance-buying public; and that there is no reason to believe the company is affiliated, directly or indirectly, through ownership, control, reinsurance, or other insurance or business relations, with any other person or persons whose business operations are or have been marked, to the detriment of the policyholders or stockholders or investors or creditors or of the public, by bad faith or by manipulation of assets, or of accounts, or of reinsurance; and

(4) The agreements made or proposed are equitable to present and future shareholders, subscribers, members or policyholders, he shall give notice to the applicant that he will issue a solicitation permit, stating the terms to be contained therein, upon the filing of the bond required by RCW 48.06.110 of this code; and

(5) The insurance contracts proposed to be offered under RCW 48.06.040(2)(d) comply with applicable provisions of chapters 48.44 and 48.46 RCW.

If the commissioner does not so find, he shall give notice to the applicant that the permit will not be granted, stating the grounds therefor, and shall refund to the applicant all sums so deposited except the application fee.

Sec. 5. RCW 48.11.070 and 1987 c 185 s 18 are each amended to read as follows:

"General casualty insurance" includes vehicle insurance as defined in RCW 48.11.060, and in addition is insurance:

(1) Against legal liability for the death, injury, or disability of any human being, or for damage to property.

(2) Of medical, chiropractic, hospital, surgical and funeral benefits to persons injured, irrespective of legal liability of the insured, when issued with or supplemental to insurance against legal liability for the death, injury or disability of human beings.

(3) Of the obligations accepted by, imposed upon, or assumed by employers under law for workers' compensation.

(4) Against loss or damage by burglary, theft, larceny, robbery, forgery, fraud, vandalism, malicious mischief, confiscation or wrongful conversion, disposal or concealment, or from any attempt of any of the foregoing; also insurance against loss of or damage to moneys, coins, bullion, securities, notes, drafts, acceptances or any other valuable papers or documents, resulting from any cause, except while in the custody or possession of and being transported by any carrier for hire or in the mail.

(5) Upon personal effects against loss or damage from any cause.

(6) Against loss or damage to glass, including its lettering, ornamentation and fittings.

(7) Against any liability and loss or damage to property resulting from accidents to or explosions of boilers, pipes, pressure containers, machinery, or apparatus and to make inspection of and issue certificates of inspection upon elevators, boilers, machinery, and apparatus of any kind.

(8) Against loss or damage to any property caused by the breakage or leakage of sprinklers, water pipes and containers, or by water entering through leaks or openings in buildings.

(9) Against loss or damage resulting from failure of debtors to pay their obligations to the insured (credit insurance).

(10) Against any other kind of loss, damage, or liability properly the subject of insurance and not within any other kind or kinds of insurance as defined in this chapter, if such insurance is not contrary to law or public policy.

Sec. 6. RCW 48.18.480 and 1957 c 193 s 12 are each amended to read as follows:

No insurer shall make or permit any unfair discrimination between insureds or subjects of insurance having substantially like insuring, risk, and exposure factors, and expense elements, in the terms or conditions of any insurance contract, or in the rate or amount of premium charged therefor, or in the benefits payable or in any other rights or privileges accruing thereunder. No insurer shall make or permit discrimination in access, coverage, or payments between health care licensees properly licensed under chapters 18.22, 18.25, 18.32, 18.36A, 18.53, 18.57, and 18.71 RCW. This provision shall not prohibit fair discrimination by a life insurer as between individuals having unequal expectation of life.

Sec. 7. RCW 48.20.412 and 1971 ex.s. c 13 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

Notwithstanding any provision of any disability insurance contract as provided for in this chapter, benefits shall not be denied thereunder, nor discriminatory access, coverage, or payments tendered, for any health care service performed by a holder of a license issued pursuant to chapter 18.22 or 18.25 RCW if (1) the service performed was within the lawful scope of such person's license, and (2) such contract would have provided benefits if such service had been performed by a holder of a license issued pursuant to chapter 18.71 RCW((~~: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That~~)). No provision of chapter 18.71 RCW shall be asserted to deny benefits under this section.

The provisions of this section are intended to be remedial and procedural to the extent they do not impair the obligation of any existing contract.

Sec. 8. RCW 48.20.460 and 1981 c 339 s 19 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The commissioner shall issue regulations to establish minimum standards for benefits under each of the following categories of coverage in individual policies, other than conversion policies issued pursuant to a contractual conversion privilege under a group policy, of disability insurance:

(a) Basic hospital expense coverage;

(b) Basic medical-surgical expense coverage;

(d) Major medical expense coverage;

(e) Chiropractic expense coverage;

(f) Disability income protection coverage;

((~~(f)~~)) (g) Accident only coverage;

((~~(g)~~)) (h) Specified disease or specified accident coverage;

((~~(h)~~)) (i) Medicare supplemental coverage; and

((~~(i)~~)) (j) Limited benefit coverage.

(2) Nothing in this section shall preclude the issuance of any policy which combines two or more of the categories of coverage enumerated in items (a) through ((~~(f)~~)) (g) of subsection (1) of this section.

(3) No policy shall be delivered or issued for delivery in this state which does not meet the prescribed minimum standards for the categories of coverage listed in items (a) through ((~~(i)~~)) (g) of subsection (1) of this section, unless the commissioner finds such policy will be in the public interest and such policy meets the requirements set forth in RCW 48.18.110.

(4) The commissioner shall prescribe the method of identification of policies based upon coverages provided.

Sec. 9. RCW 48.21.142 and 1971 ex.s. c 13 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

Notwithstanding any provision of any group disability insurance contract or blanket disability insurance contract as provided for in this chapter, benefits shall not be denied thereunder, nor discriminatory payments tendered, for any health service performed by a holder of a license issued pursuant to chapter 18.22 or 18.25 RCW if (1) the service performed was within the lawful scope of such person's license, and (2) such contract would have provided benefits if such service had been performed by a holder of a license issued pursuant to chapter 18.71 RCW((~~: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That~~)). No provision of chapter 18.71 RCW shall be asserted to deny benefits under this section.

The provisions of this section are intended to be remedial and procedural to the extent they do not impair the obligation of any existing contract.

Sec. 10. RCW 48.30.300 and 1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 119 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) No person or entity engaged in the business of insurance in this state shall refuse to issue any contract of insurance or cancel or decline to renew such contract because of the sex or marital status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical handicap of the insured or prospective insured. The amount of benefits payable, or any term, rate, condition, or type of coverage shall not be restricted, modified, excluded, increased or reduced on the basis of the sex or marital status, or be restricted, modified, excluded or reduced on the basis of the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical handicap of the insured or prospective insured. These provisions shall not prohibit fair discrimination on the basis of sex, or marital status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical handicap when bona fide statistical differences in risk or exposure have been substantiated.

(2) Notwithstanding a provision of a casualty, automotive, health, or disability insurance contract, benefits shall not be denied thereunder, nor discriminatory access, coverage, or payments tendered, for a health service performed by a holder of a license issued under chapter 18.22 or 18.25 RCW if (a) the service performed was within the lawful scope of the person's license, and (b) the contract would have provided benefits if the service had been performed by a holder of a license issued pursuant to chapter 18.71 RCW. However, no provision of chapter 18.71 RCW shall be asserted to deny benefits under this section.

The provisions of this section are intended to be remedial and procedural to the extent they do not impair the obligation of an existing contract.

Sec. 11. RCW 48.34.070 and 1961 c 219 s 7 are each amended to read as follows:

The total amount of periodic indemnity payable by credit accident and health insurance in the event of disability, as defined in the policy, shall not exceed the aggregate of the periodic scheduled unpaid installments of the indebtedness; and the amount of such periodic indemnity payment shall not exceed the original indebtedness divided by the number of periodic installments.

In no event shall a limitation on amount of periodic indemnity be utilized to discriminate or unequally pay for services rendered by licensees under chapters 18.25, 18.57, and 18.71 RCW.

Sec. 12. RCW 48.36A.160 and 1987 c 366 s 16 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) A society may provide the following contractual benefits in any form:

(a) Death benefits;

(b) Endowment benefits;

(d) Temporary or permanent disability benefits;

(e) Hospital, medical, or nursing benefits;

(f) Monument or tombstone benefits to the memory of deceased members; and

(g) Such other benefits as authorized for life insurers and which are not inconsistent with this chapter.

(2) A society shall specify in its rules those persons who may be issued, or covered by, the contractual benefits in subsection (1) of this section, consistent with providing benefits to members and their dependents. A society may provide benefits on the lives of children under the minimum age for adult membership upon application of an adult person.

(3) Contractual benefits provided by a society may not discriminate with regard to access to or payment for services rendered by licensees under chapter 18.25, 18.57, or 18.71 RCW.

Sec. 13. RCW 48.36A.370 and 1987 c 366 s 37 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) With the exception of RCW 48.36A.160(3) and 48.36A.340(1), nothing contained in this chapter shall be so construed as to affect or apply to:

(a) Grand or subordinate lodges of Masons, Odd Fellows, Improved Order of Red Men, Fraternal Order of Eagles, Loyal Order of Moose, or Knights of Pythias, exclusive of the insurance department of the Supreme Lodge of Knights of Pythias, the Grand Aerie Fraternal Order of Eagles, and the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, exclusive of the beneficiary degree of insurance branch of the National Council Junior Order ((~~[of]~~)) of United American Mechanics, or similar societies which do not issue insurance certificates;

(b) Orders, societies, or associations which admit to membership only persons engaged in one or more crafts or hazardous occupations, in the same or similar lines of business, insuring only their own members and their families, and the ladies' societies or ladies' auxiliaries to such orders, societies, or associations;

(c) Any association of local lodges of a society now doing business in this state which provides death benefits not exceeding three hundred dollars to any one person, or disability benefit not exceeding three hundred dollars in any one year to any one person, or both; or any contracts of reinsurance business on such plan in this state;

(d) Domestic societies which limit their membership to the employees of a particular city or town, designated firm, business house, or corporation;

(e) Domestic lodges, orders, or associations of a purely religious, charitable, and benevolent description, which do not provide for a death benefit of more than one hundred dollars, or for disability benefits of more than one hundred fifty dollars to any one person in any one year((~~: PROVIDED, That any such~~)). A domestic order or society which has more than five hundred members and provides for death or disability benefits, and any such domestic lodge, order, or society which issues to any person a certificate providing for the payment of benefits, shall not be exempt by the provisions of this section, but shall comply with all the requirements of this chapter.

The commissioner may require from any society such information as will enable the commissioner to determine whether the society is exempt from the provisions of this chapter.

(2) No society, which is exempt by the provisions of this section from the requirements of this chapter shall give or allow or promise to give or allow to any person any compensation for procuring new members.

(3) Any fraternal benefit society, heretofore organized and incorporated and operating as set forth in RCW 48.36A.010, 48.36A.020, and 48.36A.030, providing for benefits in case of death or disability resulting solely from accidents, but which does not obligate itself to pay other death or sick benefits, may be licensed under the provisions of this chapter, and shall have all the privileges and shall be subject to all the provisions and regulations of this chapter, except that the provisions of this chapter requiring medical examinations, valuations of benefit certificates, and that the certificate shall specify the amount of benefits, shall not apply to such society.

(4) The commissioner may require from any society or association, by examination or otherwise, such information as will enable the commissioner to determine whether the society or association is exempt from the provisions of this chapter.

(5) Societies, exempted under the provisions of this section, shall also be exempt from all other provisions of the insurance laws of this state.

Sec. 14. RCW 48.41.030 and 1989 c 121 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

As used in this chapter, the following terms have the meaning indicated, unless the context requires otherwise:

(1) "Accounting year" means a twelve-month period determined by the board for purposes of record-keeping and accounting. The first accounting year may be more or less than twelve months and, from time to time in subsequent years, the board may order an accounting year of other than twelve months as may be required for orderly management and accounting of the pool.

(2) "Administrator" means the entity chosen by the board to administer the pool under RCW 48.41.080.

(3) "Board" means the board of directors of the pool.

(4) "Commissioner" means the insurance commissioner.

(5) "Health care facility" has the same meaning as in RCW 70.38.025.

(6) "Health care provider" means any physician, facility, or health care professional, including health care professionals licensed under chapters 18.25, 18.57, and 18.71 RCW, who is licensed in Washington state and entitled to reimbursement for health care services.

(7) "Health care services" means services for the purpose of preventing, alleviating, curing, or healing human illness or injury.

(8) "Health insurance" means any group or individual disability insurance policy, health care service contract, and health maintenance agreement, except those contracts entered into for the provision of health care services pursuant to Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1395 et seq. The term does not include short-term care, long-term care, dental, vision, accident, fixed indemnity, disability income contracts, civilian health and medical program for the uniform services (CHAMPUS), 10 U.S.C. 55, limited benefit or credit insurance, coverage issued as a supplement to liability insurance, insurance arising out of the worker's compensation or similar law, automobile medical payment insurance, or insurance under which benefits are payable with or without regard to fault and which is statutorily required to be contained in any liability insurance policy or equivalent self-insurance.

(9) "Health plan" means any arrangement by which persons, including dependents or spouses, covered or making application to be covered under this pool, have access to hospital and medical benefits or reimbursement including any group or individual disability insurance policy; health care service contract; health maintenance agreement; uninsured arrangements of group or group-type contracts including employer self-insured, cost-plus, or other benefit methodologies not involving insurance or not governed by Title 48 RCW; coverage under group-type contracts which are not available to the general public and can be obtained only because of connection with a particular organization or group; and coverage by medicare or other governmental benefits. This term includes coverage through "health insurance" as defined under this section, and specifically excludes those types of programs excluded under the definition of "health insurance" in subsection (8) of this section.

(10) "Insured" means any individual resident of this state who is eligible to receive benefits from any member, or other health plan.

(11) "Medical assistance" means coverage under Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C., Sec. 1396 et seq.) and chapter 74.09 RCW.

(12) "Medicare" means coverage under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1395 et seq., as amended).

(13) "Member" means any commercial insurer which provides disability insurance, any health care service contractor, and any health maintenance organization licensed under Title 48 RCW. "Member" shall also mean, as soon as authorized by federal law, employers and other entities, including a self-funding entity and employee welfare benefit plans that provide health plan benefits in this state on or after May 18, 1987. "Member" does not include any insurer, health care service contractor, or health maintenance organization whose products are exclusively dental products or those products excluded from the definition of "health insurance" set forth in subsection (8) of this section.

(14) "Plan of operation" means the pool, including articles, by-laws, and operating rules, adopted by the board pursuant to RCW 48.41.050.

(15) "Pool" means the Washington state health insurance pool as created in RCW 48.41.040.

(16) "Substantially equivalent health plan" means a "health plan" as defined in subsection (9) of this section which, in the judgment of the board or the administrator, offers persons including dependents or spouses covered or making application to be covered by this pool an overall level of benefits deemed approximately equivalent to the minimum benefits available under this pool.

Sec. 15. RCW 48.42.080 and 1984 c 56 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

Guidelines for assessing the impact of proposed mandated or mandatorily offered health coverage to the extent that information is available, shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) The social impact: (a) To what extent is the treatment or service generally utilized by a significant portion of the population? (b) To what extent is the insurance coverage already generally available? (c) If coverage is not generally available, to what extent does the lack of coverage result in persons avoiding necessary health care treatments? (d) If the coverage is not generally available, to what extent does the lack of coverage result in unreasonable financial hardship? (e) What is the level of public demand for the treatment or service? (f) What is the level of public demand for insurance coverage of treatment or service? (g) What is the level of interest of collective bargaining agents in negotiating privately for inclusion of this coverage in group contracts?

(2) The financial impact: (a) To what extent will the coverage increase or decrease the cost of treatment or service? (b) To what extent will the coverage increase the appropriate use of the treatment or service? (c) To what extent will the mandated treatment or service be a substitute for more expensive treatment or service? (d) To what extent will the coverage increase or decrease the administrative expenses of insurance companies and the premium and administrative expenses of policyholders? (e) What will be the impact of this coverage on the total cost of health care?

(3) Notwithstanding subsections (1) and (2) of this section, no mandated health coverage shall discriminate against licensees under chapter 18.22, 18.25, 18.57, or 18.71 RCW with respect to access, coverage, benefits, or payments for services rendered by or between these licensees.

Sec. 16. RCW 48.44.035 and 1990 c 120 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) For purposes of this section only, "limited health care service" means dental care services, vision care services, mental health services, chemical dependency services, pharmaceutical services, podiatric care services, and such other services as may be determined by the commissioner to be limited health services, but does not include hospital, medical, surgical, chiropractic, emergency, or out-of-area services except as those services are provided incidentally to the limited health services set forth in this subsection.

(2) For purposes of this section only, a "limited health care service contractor" means a health care service contractor that offers one and only one limited health care service.

(3) For all limited health care service contractors that have had a certificate of registration for less than three years, their uncovered expenditures shall be either insured or guaranteed by a foreign or domestic carrier admitted in the state of Washington or by another carrier acceptable to the commissioner. All such contractors shall also deposit with the commissioner one-half of one percent of their projected premium for the next year in cash, approved surety bond, securities, or other form acceptable to the commissioner.

(4) For all limited health care service contractors that have had a certificate of registration for three years or more, their uncovered expenditures shall be assured by depositing with the insurance commissioner twenty-five percent of their last year's uncovered expenditures as reported to the commissioner and adjusted to reflect any anticipated increases or decreases during the ensuing year plus an amount for unearned prepayments; in cash, approved surety bond, securities, or other form acceptable to the commissioner. Compliance with subsection (3) of this section shall also constitute compliance with this requirement.

(5) Limited health service contractors need not comply with RCW 48.44.030 or 48.44.037.

Sec. 17. RCW 48.44.310 and 1986 c 223 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) Each group contract for comprehensive health care service which is entered into, or renewed, on or after September 8, 1983, between a health care service contractor and the person or persons to receive such care shall offer coverage for chiropractic care on the same basis as any other care.

(2) A patient of a chiropractor shall not be denied benefits under a contract because the practitioner is not licensed under chapter 18.57 or 18.71 RCW.

(3) This section shall not apply to a group contract for comprehensive health care services entered into in accordance with a collective bargaining agreement between management and labor representatives. Benefits for chiropractic care shall be offered by the employer in good faith on the same basis as any other care as a subject for collective bargaining for group contracts for health care services.

(4) Notwithstanding a provision of a disability insurance contract as provided for in this chapter, access, coverage, or payments shall not be denied thereunder for a health care service performed by a holder of a license issued pursuant to chapter 18.25 RCW if (a) the service performed was within the lawful scope of the person's license, and (b) the contract would have provided benefits if the service had been performed by a holder of a license issued pursuant to chapter 18.71 RCW. No provision of chapter 18.71 RCW shall be asserted to deny benefits under this section. The provisions of this subsection are intended to be remedial and procedural to the extent they do not impair the obligation of any existing contract.

Sec. 18. RCW 48.66.041 and 1992 c 138 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The insurance commissioner shall adopt rules to establish minimum standards for benefits in medicare supplement insurance policies and certificates.

(2) The commissioner shall adopt rules to establish specific standards for medicare supplement insurance policy or certificate provisions. These rules may include but are not limited to:

(a) Terms of renewability;

(b) Nonduplication of coverage;

(d) Definitions of terms;

(e) Requiring refunds or credits if the policies or certificates do not meet loss ratio requirements;

(f) Establishing uniform methodology for calculating and reporting loss ratios;

(g) Assuring public access to policies, premiums, and loss ratio information of an issuer of medicare supplement insurance;

(h) Establishing a process for approving or disapproving proposed premium increases; and

(i) Establishing standards for medicare SELECT policies and certificates.

(3) The insurance commissioner may adopt rules that establish disclosure standards for replacement of policies or certificates by persons eligible for medicare by reason of age.

(4) The insurance commissioner may by rule prescribe that an informational brochure, designed to improve the buyer's understanding of medicare and ability to select the most appropriate coverage, be provided to persons eligible for medicare by reason of age. The commissioner may require that the brochure be provided to applicants concurrently with delivery of the outline of coverage, except with respect to direct response insurance, when the brochure may be provided upon request but no later than the delivery of the policy.

(5) In the case of a state or federally qualified health maintenance organization, the commissioner may waive compliance with one or all provisions of this section until January 1, 1983.

(6) Notwithstanding a provision of a casualty, automotive, health, or disability insurance contract, benefits shall not be denied thereunder, nor discriminatory access, coverage, or payments tendered, for a health service performed by a holder of a license issued under chapter 18.22 or 18.25 RCW if: (a) The service performed was within the lawful scope of the person's license; and (b) the contract would have provided benefits if the service had been performed by a holder of a license issued pursuant to chapter 18.71 RCW. No provision of chapter 18.71 RCW shall be asserted to deny benefits under this section. Every contract for health care service shall offer coverage for chiropractic and naturopathic care on the same basis as any other care. The provisions of this section are intended to be remedial and procedural to the extent they do not impair the obligation of an existing contract.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 19. A new section is added to chapter 48.46 RCW to read as follows:

Notwithstanding a provision of a disability insurance contract as provided for in this chapter, benefits shall not be denied thereunder nor discriminatory payments tendered, for a health care service performed by a holder of a license issued pursuant to chapter 18.22 or 18.25 RCW if (1) the service performed was within the lawful scope of the person's license, and (2) the contract would have provided benefits if the service had been performed by a holder of a license issued pursuant to chapter 18.71 RCW. No provision of chapter 18.71 RCW shall be asserted to deny benefits under this section.

The provisions of this section are intended to be remedial and procedural to the extent they do not impair the obligation of an existing contract.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 20. A new section is added to chapter 48.46 RCW to read as follows:

(a) Basic hospital expense coverage;

(b) Basic medical-surgical expense coverage;

(d) Major medical expense coverage;

(e) Chiropractic expense coverage;

(f) Disability income protection coverage;

(g) Accident only coverage;

(h) Specified disease or specified accident coverage;

(i) Medicare supplemental coverage; and

(j) Limited benefit coverage.

(2) Nothing in this section shall preclude the issuance of a policy that combines two or more of the categories of coverage enumerated in subsection (1) (a) through (g) of this section.

(3) No policy shall be delivered or issued for delivery in this state which does not meet the prescribed minimum standards for the categories of coverage listed in subsection (1) (a) through (g) of this section, unless the commissioner finds the policy will be in the public interest and the policy meets the requirements set forth in RCW 48.18.110.

(4) The commissioner shall prescribe the method of identification of policies based upon coverages provided.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 21. A new section is added to chapter 48.46 RCW to read as follows:

(1) For purposes of this section only, "limited health care service" means dental care services, vision care services, mental health services, chemical dependency services, pharmaceutical services, podiatric care services, and other services as may be determined by the commissioner to be limited health services, but does not include hospital, medical, surgical, chiropractic, emergency, or out-of-area services except as those services are provided incidentally to the limited health services set forth in this subsection.

(2) For purposes of this section only, a "limited health care service contractor" means a health care service contractor that offers one and only one limited health care service.

(5) Limited health service contractors need not comply with RCW 48.44.030 or 48.44.037.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 22. A new section is added to chapter 48.46 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Each group contract for comprehensive health care service which is entered into, or renewed, on or after July 1, 1993, between a health maintenance organization and the person or persons to receive the care shall offer coverage for chiropractic care on the same basis as any other care.

(2) A patient of a chiropractor shall not be denied benefits under a contract because the practitioner is not licensed under chapter 18.57 or 18.71 RCW.

(3) This section shall not apply to a group contract for comprehensive health care services entered into in accordance with a collective bargaining agreement between management and labor representatives. Benefits for chiropractic care shall be offered by the employer in good faith on the same basis as other care as a subject for collective bargaining for group contracts for health care services.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 23. A new section is added to chapter 48.62 RCW to read as follows:

Notwithstanding a provision of a disability insurance contract as provided for in this chapter, benefits shall not be denied thereunder for a health care service performed by a holder of a license issued pursuant to chapter 18.25 RCW if (1) the service performed was within the lawful scope of the person's license, and (2) the contract would have provided benefits if the service had been performed by a holder of a license issued pursuant to chapter 18.71 RCW. No provision of chapter 18.71 RCW shall be asserted to deny benefits under this section.

The provisions of this section are intended to be remedial and procedural to the extent they do not impair the obligation of an existing contract.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 24. A new section is added to chapter 48.62 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Each group contract for comprehensive health care service which is entered into, or renewed, on or after July 1, 1993, between a health care service contractor and the person or persons to receive the care shall offer coverage for chiropractic care on the same basis as other care.

(2) A patient of a chiropractor shall not be denied benefits under a contract because the practitioner is not licensed under chapter 18.57 or 18.71 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 25. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 26. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.