WSR 17-17-179

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

[Insurance Commissioner Matter No. R 2017-11—Filed August 23, 2017, 11:45 a.m.]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: Adjusting geographic rating areas to increase market stability.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 48.02.060, 48.43.733, 45 C.F.R. 147.102.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: WAC 284-43-6680 and 284-43-6700 establish geographic rating areas for individual and small group health plans. In this rule, the office of the insurance commissioner (OIC) will revise those WAC to address more recent risk pool information, making adjustments to the current rating area designations and ratio restrictions as necessary to more accurately reflect the risk pool.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regulates this issue at the federal level. To comply with 45 C.F.R. 147.102 (b)(4), OIC may need to receive approval from CMS before modifying existing geographic rating areas.

Process for Developing New Rule: Submit written comments by October 6, 2017.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Bianca Stoner, P.O. Box 40258, Olympia, WA 98504, phone 360-725-7041, fax 360-586-3109, TTY 360-586-0241 or 360-725-7087, email rulescoordinator@oic.wa.gov, web site https://www.insurance.wa.gov/.

August 23, 2017

Mike Kreidler

Insurance Commissioner