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                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 5046

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                                                                            C 037 L 87

 

 

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

 

By Senate Committee on Financial Institutions (originally sponsored by Senators Bottiger, Metcalf, Moore and Rasmussen)

 

 

Read first time 2/9/87.

 

 


AN ACT Relating to insurance riders; adding a new section to chapter 48.20 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 48.21 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 48.44 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 48.46 RCW.

 

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

 

          NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 48.20 RCW to read as follows:

          Upon application by an insured, a rider shall be canceled if at least five years after its issuance, no health care services have been received by the insured during that time for the condition specified in the rider, and a physician, selected by the carrier for that purpose, agrees in writing to the full medical recovery of the insured from that condition, such agreement not to be unreasonably withheld.  The option of the insured to apply for cancellation shall be disclosed on the face of the rider in clear and conspicuous language.

          For purposes of this section, a rider is a legal document that modifies a contract to exclude, limit, or reduce coverage or benefits for specifically named or described preexisting diseases or physical conditions.

 

          NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 48.21 RCW to read as follows:

          Upon application by an insured, a rider shall be canceled if at least five years after its issuance, no health care services have been received by the insured during that time for the condition specified in the rider, and a physician, selected by the carrier for that purpose, agrees in writing to the full medical recovery of the insured from that condition, such agreement not to be unreasonably withheld.  The option of the insured to apply for cancellation shall be disclosed on the face of the rider in clear and conspicuous language.

          For purposes of this section, a rider is a legal document that modifies a contract to exclude, limit, or reduce coverage or benefits for specifically named or described preexisting diseases or physical conditions.

 

          NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 48.44 RCW to read as follows:

          Upon application by a subscriber, a rider shall be canceled if at least five years after its issuance, no health care services have been received by the subscriber during that time for the condition specified in the rider, and a physician, selected by the carrier for that purpose, agrees in writing to the full medical recovery of the subscriber from that condition, such agreement not to be unreasonably withheld.  The option of the subscriber to apply for cancellation shall be disclosed on the face of the rider in clear and conspicuous language.

          For purposes of this section, a rider is a legal document that modifies a contract to exclude, limit, or reduce coverage or benefits for specifically named or described preexisting diseases or physical conditions.

 

          NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 48.46 RCW to read as follows:

          Upon application by an enrollee, a rider shall be canceled if at least five years after its issuance, no health care services have been received by the enrollee during that time for the condition specified in the rider, and a physician, selected by the carrier for that purpose, agrees in writing to the full medical recovery of the enrollee from that condition, such agreement not to be unreasonably withheld.  The option of the enrollee to apply for cancellation shall be disclosed on the face of the rider in clear and conspicuous language.

          For purposes of this section, a rider is a legal document that modifies a contract to exclude, limit, or reduce coverage or benefits for specifically named or described preexisting diseases or physical conditions.


                                                                                                                      Passed the Senate February 19, 1987.

 

                                                                                                                                       President of the Senate.

 

                                                                                                                             Passed the House April 2, 1987.

 

                                                                                                                                         Speaker of the House.