H-1749.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 1930
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State of Washington 54th Legislature 1995 Regular Session
By Representatives Hymes, Skinner, Radcliff, Cody, Kessler, Regala, Lambert, Mitchell, Mason, Ballasiotes, Kremen, Dyer, Hatfield, Costa, Mielke and Hargrove
Read first time 02/15/95. Referred to Committee on Health Care.
AN ACT Relating to women's health; and adding new sections to chapter 48.43 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 48.43 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The legislature finds that over one-half of this country's population are women and that the health status of women is of paramount importance to the family and society; further that over sixty percent of obstetrics-gynecology services are preventative in nature and that most women prefer to use an obstetrician-gynecologist as their primary care provider; and further that obstetricians-gynecologists refer their patients to other health providers less often than other types of primary care physicians, assuring cost-effective delivery of care.
(2) It is the intent of the legislature to improve the health status of women by improving their access to primary care services provided by obstetrician-gynecologists.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 48.43 RCW to read as follows:
(1) Any health carrier, including a disability insurer regulated under chapter 48.20 or 48.21 RCW, a health care service contractor as defined in RCW 48.44.010, or a health maintenance organization as defined in RCW 48.46.020, that provides, covers, or insures primary care services, material care services, or reproductive health care services shall permit any enrolled female patient to access an obstetrician-gynecologist without referral from another health care provider for, at least, the following: Maternity care; reproductive health services; acute gynecological care; general examination at least twice a year; and follow-up visits for the above services.
(2) Health carriers designated in subsection (1) of this section shall advise female patients, in easily understood written material, of their right to see an obstetrician-gynecologist without referral from another health care provider.
(3) The office of the insurance commissioner shall adopt rules, pursuant to chapter 34.05 RCW, to implement this section and section 1 of this act.
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