S-3434               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6129

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Senators Wojahn, Deccio and Vognild

Prefiled with Secretary of the Senate 1/8/88.  Read first time 1/11/88 and referred to Committee on Financial Institutions & Insurance.

AN ACT Relating to health insurance; 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:

          A disability insurance contract issued, delivered, or renewed after July 1, 1988, shall offer optional coverage for surgical and nonsurgical treatment, including outpatient treatment, of temporomandibular joint disorder and craniomandibular disorder.  Coverage shall be the same as that for treatment to any other joint in the body, and applies if the treatment is administered or prescribed by a physician or dentist.

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

          A group disability insurance contract issued, delivered, or renewed after July 1, 1988, shall offer optional coverage for surgical and nonsurgical treatment, including outpatient treatment, of temporomandibular joint disorder and craniomandibular disorder.  Coverage shall be the same as that for treatment to any other joint in the body, and applies if the treatment is administered or prescribed by a physician or dentist.

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

          A health care service contract entered into or renewed after July 1, 1988, shall offer optional coverage for surgical and nonsurgical treatment, including outpatient treatment, of temporomandibular joint disorder and craniomandibular disorder.  Coverage shall be the same as that for treatment to any other joint in the body, and applies if the treatment is administered or prescribed by a physician or dentist.

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

          A group health maintenance agreement entered into or renewed after July 1, 1988, shall offer optional coverage for surgical and nonsurgical treatment, including outpatient treatment, of temporomandibular joint disorder and craniomandibular disorder.  Coverage shall be the same as that for treatment to any other joint in the body, and applies if the treatment is administered or prescribed by a physician or dentist.