S-1371.1                   _______________________________________________

                                                     SENATE BILL 5737

                              _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Senators Wojahn, Moyer, Fraser and Franklin

Read first time 02/10/93.  Referred to Committee on Health & Human Services.

Providing supplemental insurance for retired state employees.

          AN ACT Relating to health care benefits for retired and disabled state, local government, and common school employees; adding a new section to chapter 41.05 RCW; creating a new section; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  (1) The legislature finds that premium rates for health care coverage currently offered by the state employees' benefits board to retired and disabled employees who are also eligible for medicare are high, and consume an increasing proportion of the fixed income of such retired and disabled individuals.

          (2) It is the purpose of this act to address the particular need of retired and disabled state, local government, and public school employees who are also eligible for medicare by authorizing the health care authority to offer a medicare supplement health insurance plan to such retired and disabled employees.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 41.05 RCW to read as follows:

          Notwithstanding any other provisions of this title or any rules or procedures adopted by the health care authority, the authority shall offer all retired or disabled employees at least two medicare supplemental insurance policies that conform to the requirements of chapter 48.66 RCW.  One such policy must include coverage for prescription drugs.  These policies shall be available to any retired or disabled state employees, or employees of county, municipal, or other political subdivisions eligible for coverage available under the authority and all such offerings must be made available not later than January 1, 1994.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1993.

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