H-4142.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 2435
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State of Washington 54th Legislature 1996 Regular Session
By Representatives Hymes and McMorris
Read first time 01/10/96. Referred to Committee on Health Care.
AN ACT Relating to options for using the basic health plan by employers and employees; and adding a new section to chapter 70.47 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 70.47 RCW to read as follows:
(1) The administrator shall develop a plan, to be implemented by July 1, 1997, for allowing premium subsidies for employees eligible for enrollment in the basic health plan under this chapter to be used in combination with other health care premium payments made by or on behalf of the employee to purchase health care coverage through an employer-sponsored health care plan. The plan shall include, but not be limited to, the following features:
(a) Require private trusts to be certified by the administrator before a trust is eligible to use an employee's basic health plan subsidy to enroll the employee in employer-sponsored health care through the trust.
(b) Permit health care coverage through the trust of employees whose basic health plan premiums are fully subsidized.
(c) Allow the private trusts to combine partial health care premiums paid on behalf of an employee by multiple employers. The plan shall include requirements for basing premium contributions on hours worked. The plan shall also permit banking of premium contributions not used in a particular month and permit combining the premiums with the basic health plan subsidy, if any. The plan shall address any industry-specific requirements that may be necessary for employee health care coverage.
(2) The plan shall be reported to the appropriate committees of the legislature, along with any recommendations for legislation necessary to implement the plan, by January 1, 1997.
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