PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
INSURANCE COMMISSIONER
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapter 284-66 WAC, Medicare supplement insurance.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 48.02.060, 48.66.165.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Changes to the Medicare supplement insurance rules are necessary to assure compliance with the standards prescribed by the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA). Amendments to the Medicare supplement insurance rule will be consistent with the amendments to the NAIC Medicare Supplement Insurance Minimum Standards Model Act that were adopted as a result of the MMA. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires states to implement the updated NAIC model amendments by September 8, 2005.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The MMA authorizes the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to impose its own regulatory scheme for Medicare plans in the event that states do not comply with the provisions of the MMA in a timely manner.
Process for Developing New Rule: Agency study; and by sending written comments by December 20, 2004, to Kacy Scott, P.O. Box 40255, Olympia, WA 98504-0255, e-mail Kacys@oic.wa.gov, fax (360) 586-3109.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Kacy Scott, P.O. Box 40255, Olympia, WA 98504-0255, e-mail Kacys@oic.wa.gov, fax (360) 586-3109.
November 3 [October 28], 2004
Mike Kreidler
Insurance Commissioner