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AN ACT Relating to the education and training of physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants; adding a new section to chapter 48.01 RCW; adding new sections to chapter 28B.20 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 48.01 RCW to read as follows:

All health plans as defined by RCW 48.41.030 shall endeavor to provide an option that enables enrollees in the plan to select the state's teaching and training institutions, the University of Washington School of Medicine, Harborview medical center, or the University of Washington medical center if the enrollee and his or her health provider concur that services provided would be in the best interest of the enrollee. This option shall be available to all enrollees and shall not be constrained unreasonably by charges, fees, or copayments, or by application or appeal procedures.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The legislature finds that the viability of medical student education in the clinical setting is in jeopardy. An interim committee consisting of four legislators, two appointed by the senate leaders of each major party and two appointed by the house of representatives leaders of each major party, shall study this matter and report to the legislature by December 1, 1995. The University of Washington's school of medicine shall provide technical support with assistance from national organizations with expertise in medical education.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. (1) The health education account is created in the custody of the state treasurer for the purpose of training the following categories of health providers: (a) Physicians licensed under chapters 18.71 and 18.57 RCW; (b) nurse practitioners; and (c) physician assistants.

(2)(a) Support of health provider education is essential to the health of the people of the state of Washington. In order to produce highly qualified and well-trained providers and to place the providers in communities that have too few providers, state funds now paid to providers for health provider education through the health care authority under the uniform medical plan and through managed care contracts shall be deposited into the health education account.

(b) The proportion of health care authority funds currently paid to hospitals under the uniform medical plan for health education shall be deposited into the health education account, on a monthly basis. In addition, a similar proportion of health care authority funds expended on managed care contracts also shall be deposited into the health education account. The proportion of funds deposited under this subsection shall not be reduced from the established level on January 1, 1995.

(c) Only the dean of the University of Washington school of medicine or the dean's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but no appropriation is required for expenditures.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. (1) There is established the health education advisory consortium, comprised of nine members with the dean of the University of Washington school of medicine serving as the chair. Membership is as follows:

(a) Dean of the University of Washington school of medicine;

(b) Two members of the public;

(d) One member representing physician assistant training programs;

(e) One member representing physician training programs;

(f) One member representing teaching hospitals; and

(g) Two members representing health plans.

The governor shall appoint the consortium members. At least one public appointee shall be an individual with experience both in the practice of primary care medicine and with medical education. The dean of the University of Washington school of medicine shall serve on a permanent basis; terms for consortium members shall be staggered four-year terms, as established by the governor.

(2) The consortium shall study the need for stabilizing primary care health education funding. The consortium shall recommend distributions from the health education account annually to the chair. The consortium shall report to the governor and legislature annually by December 1 of each year.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Sections 3 and 4 of this act are each added to chapter 28B.20 RCW.