SENATE BILL REPORT

 

                                    SB 5196

 

             AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG-TERM CARE,

                               FEBRUARY 6, 1991

 

 

Brief Description:  Allowing nondisclosure of trade information by the health care authority and state employees benefits board.

 

SPONSORS:Senators West, Wojahn and L. Kreidler; by request of Health Care Authority.

 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG‑TERM CARE

 

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5196 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators West, Chairman; L. Smith, Vice Chairman; Amondson, Johnson, L. Kreidler, Niemi, and Wojahn.

 

Staff:  Don Sloma (786‑7414)

 

Hearing Dates:February 5, 1991; February 6, 1991

 

 

BACKGROUND:

 

Under the current Public Disclosure Act, information submitted to the Health Care Authority (HCA) is available to any person who may request it.  Because of this, some health care service contractors, health maintenance organizations, vendors or contracting insurers, have been reluctant to submit specific information to HCA which the authority feels is essential to negotiations. 

 

SUMMARY:

 

Actuarial formulas, statistics, cost and utilization data, or other proprietary information submitted to the Health Care Authority by health care service contractors, health maintenance organizations, contracting insurers or vendors may be withheld from public inspection.  The State Employee Benefits Board may hold an executive session to discuss such information.

 

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

 

The period of time during which specified information submitted to the Health Care Authority can be withheld from inspection is specified as "at any time."

 

Appropriation:  none

 

Revenue:  none

 

Fiscal Note:  none requested

 

 

TESTIMONY FOR:

 

This protection is needed to increase health care organization's willingness to negotiate with the Health Care Authority without fear of divulging trade secrets.

 

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

 

TESTIFIED:  PRO:  Margaret Stanley, Health Care Authority; Ken Bertrand, Group Health