Brief Description: Regarding health insurance information for students.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education (originally sponsored by Senators Hobbs, McAuliffe, Regala, Fairley, Shin, Weinstein, Murray, Keiser, Prentice, Kline, Spanel, Fraser, Tom, Kohl-Welles and Rasmussen).

Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care
Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education
House Committee on Education
House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Education

Background: School districts are currently required to provide a number of health-related activities, including screenings for vision, hearing, and scoliosis; review of immunization records; and attainment of a medication or treatment plan for a child with a life threatening health condition.

Many school districts provide an informational packet which includes information on public insurance programs like Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, as well as other programs like free and reduced-price meals. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, in conjunction with Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and other departments, distributes a packet of informational materials to all 295 school districts. The 285 school districts participating in the food programs are required by the United States Department of Agriculture to distribute the packet to ensure the application for free and reduced price meals is made available.

Summary: By August 1, 2008, the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) must select up to six school districts to implement pilots regarding health insurance. The selected districts should include those from urban and rural areas, and eastern and western Washington. Beginning with the 2008-09 school year, the pilot districts are required to ask whether students have health insurance and allow parents or guardians to authorize the sharing of information for this purpose.

By December 1, 2008, each district must develop a list of students without insurance. The list must include identifiers and parent or guardian contact information. By September 1, 2008, DSHS and the SPI must develop a model agreement for schools to share student information, and by January 1, 2009, each pilot school and a local outreach organization must put in place an agreement to share the list of students without insurance. The outreach organization must use the information to assist families in enrolling students on a medical program. By July 1, 2009, the pilot schools must report to the SPI. By December 1, 2009, DSHS and the SPI must report to the Legislature.

"Outreach organization" is defined as a nonprofit organization or a local government entity either contracting with DSHS or otherwise qualified to provide outreach, education, and enrollment services to uninsured children.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      33   15
House      93   0   (House amended)
Senate      34   11   (Senate concurred)

Effective: June 12, 2008