H-967                _______________________________________________

                                                    HOUSE BILL NO. 833

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Representatives Valle, Barrett, Dellwo, Winsley, Addison, West, Holland, Day and Wang

Read first time 2/8/85 and referred to Committee on Social & Health Services. Referred to Committee on Financial Institutions & Insurance 2/11/85.

AN ACT Relating to employee health care assistance plans; and adding a new chapter to Title 48 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, "health care assistance plans" means all plans of medical, dental, and health insurance offered by an insurer as defined by chapter 48.01 RCW and all agreements for health care benefits provided by a health care service contractor as defined by chapter 48.44 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     Each employer, public or private, that offers its employees a health care assistance plan and each employee benefits fund that offers its members a health care assistance plan limiting the provider of health care to designated providers or group of providers, shall make available to and inform its employees or members of the option of enrolling in an alternate health care assistance plan that permits the employees or members to obtain health care services from any licensed health care provider of their choice.  The portion of the premium paid by the employer for the alternative plan shall be substantially comparable to, but in no case greater than, the portion of the premium paid by the employer for the other plan.  Where such employees are members of a bona fide bargaining unit covered by a labor-management collective bargaining agreement, the selection of the options required by this section may be specified in the agreement.  The provisions of this section are not mandatory where such members are covered by a Taft-Hartley health care trust, except that the labor-management trustees may contract with a health care assistance plan if a feasibility study determines it is to the advantage of the members to so contract.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 48 RCW.