Subject of Possible Rule Making: Responding electronically to the office of the insurance commissioner regarding consumer complaints.

     Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 48.02.060, 48.44.050, and 48.46.200.

     Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: WAC 284-30-360 and 284-30-650 require insurers, health care service contractors, and health maintenance organizations to respond in writing to the insurance commissioner regarding consumer complaints. The commissioner will consider amending those WACs to require the response to be in an electronic format. This would allow these entities to transmit private information electronically in a secure method rather than by the use of "snail mail." It is anticipated that using an electronic method will reduce the processing time for handling the complaints.

     Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.

     Process for Developing New Rule: Submit written comments by March 22, 2013, to Jim Tompkins, P.O. Box 40258, Olympia, WA 98504-0258, e-mail rulescoordinator@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 Jim Tompkins, P.O. Box 40258, Olympia, WA 98504-0258, rulescoordinator@oic.wa.gov, fax (360) 586-3109.

February 6, 2013

Mike Kreidler

Insurance Commissioner