S-0996.1                   _______________________________________________

                                                     SENATE BILL 5565

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State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Senators Franklin, Prentice, Vognild, Prince and Oke

Read first time 02/03/93.  Referred to Committee on Health & Human Services.

Registering chiropractors who review medical claims.

          AN ACT Relating to review of chiropractic health care; adding new sections to chapter 18.26 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  (1) The purpose of this act is to assure that review of chiropractic health care requested by third-party payors is conducted thoroughly and fairly.

          (2) The legislature intends that patients, providers, and third-party payors are assured that a review will be conducted in accordance with accepted standards of care as practiced in this state and that the review will not be influenced by considerations of remuneration.

          (3) The legislature finds that thoroughness and fairness can only be assured if the reviews are conducted by licensed chiropractors who are providing care to patients in this state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 18.26 RCW to read as follows:

          The chiropractic disciplinary board shall adopt and enforce standards for the education, qualifications, and training of chiropractic physicians who engage in the business of issuing professional opinions on the condition, prognosis, or treatment of a patient.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 18.26 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) A review, examination, or opinion that includes a determination of the necessity or appropriateness of chiropractic care shall be performed by a chiropractor licensed in this state.

          (2) Nothing in this section prohibits or limits administrative reviews of fees, costs, billing procedures, or records of chiropractic care that do not determine the necessity or appropriateness of care.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

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