H-4709.1 _______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2772
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State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1992 Regular Session
By House Committee on Financial Institutions & Insurance (originally sponsored by Representatives Zellinsky, Dellwo, Haugen, Broback, R. Johnson, Anderson, Paris, Dorn, Winsley, Schmidt, R. Meyers, Brough, Wood, Ludwig, Hochstatter, Mitchell, J. Kohl and Nelson)
Read first time 02/07/92.
AN ACT Relating to health coverage offered to employers prohibiting individual exclusions from coverage based solely on medical condition or health status; 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 48.21 RCW to read as follows:
(1) As used in this section "employer-sponsored group" means any person, firm, corporation, partnership, or association that is actively engaged in business that, during the most recent calendar year, employed at least three unrelated persons but no more than fifty persons who are eligible for coverage under a health care benefit plan on at least fifty percent of that business's working days.
(2) An insurer offering employer-sponsored group coverage is prohibited from excluding individuals otherwise eligible for coverage based solely on the medical condition or health status of the individuals. When determining the acceptance or rejection of an employer-sponsored group making application for coverage, insurers shall make the determinations for the entire group of eligible employees, and may not exclude individuals otherwise eligible based solely on medical condition or health status.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 48.44 RCW to read as follows:
(1) As used in this section "employer-sponsored group" means any person, firm, corporation, partnership, or association that is actively engaged in business that, during the most recent calendar year, employed at least three unrelated persons but no more than fifty persons who are eligible for coverage under a health care benefit plan on at least fifty percent of that business's working days.
(2) A health care service contractor offering employer-sponsored group coverage is prohibited from excluding individuals otherwise eligible for coverage based solely on the medical condition or health status of the individuals. When determining the acceptance or rejection of an employer-sponsored group making application for coverage, health care service contractors shall make the determinations for the entire group of eligible employees, and may not exclude individuals otherwise eligible based solely on medical condition or health status.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 48.46 RCW to read as follows:
(1) As used in this section "employer-sponsored group" mean any person, firm, corporation, partnership, or association that is actively engaged in business that, during the most recent calendar year, employed at least three unrelated persons but no more than fifty persons who are eligible for coverage under a health care benefit plan on at least fifty percent of that business's working days.
(2) A health maintenance organization offering employer-sponsored group coverage is prohibited from excluding individuals otherwise eligible for coverage based solely on the medical condition or health status of the individuals. When determining the acceptance or rejection of an employer-sponsored group making application for coverage, health maintenance organizations shall make the determinations for the entire group of eligible employees, and may not exclude individuals otherwise eligible based solely on medical condition or health status.