Z-494                 _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1075

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Representatives Valle, Lewis, Leonard, Tilly and Unsoeld; by Governor request

Read first time 2/8/85 and referred to Committee on Social & Health Services.

AN ACT Relating to health education; adding a new chapter to Title 70 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     It is the intent of the legislature that each state agency that purchases or provides health care services shall develop and implement a program of health education for its clients.  The legislature declares that the most effective strategy for reducing health care costs is to motivate the public to actively pursue healthful lifestyles.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     The department of social and health services, the department of labor and industries, the state employees' insurance board, the department of veterans affairs, and the department of corrections shall  establish health education programs, which may include, but are not limited to, the following elements:

          (1) Work with health care providers, local governments, private sector employers, and third-party payers, to ensure that state clients and employees have information available to them concerning preventive health measures, risk factors, and the appropriate use of health care systems.

          (2) Incentives, including financial, may be provided to state agency clients and employees to encourage them to pursue healthful life styles.

          (3) Identify state client and employee populations at risk and assist those populations in monitoring and controlling health problems.

          (4) Require contracted health care providers to counsel their state clients and employees about effective methods of minimizing individual health risk factors and about healthful life styles.

          (5) Establish working relations with existing health education programs in order to share information and coordinate services for state clients and employees.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The office of financial management shall coordinate efforts to establish programs under section 2 of this act, and shall report to the legislature by January, 1987, concerning the progress of state agencies in implementing section 2 of this act.  State agencies shall cooperate with the office of financial management in providing information for this report.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 70 RCW.