H-4736.1 _______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2607
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State of Washington 54th Legislature 1996 Regular Session
By House Committee on Health Care (originally sponsored by Representatives Dyer, L. Thomas, D. Sommers, Cairnes, Pelesky, Huff, Beeksma, Smith, B. Thomas, Fuhrman, Backlund, Campbell and Hymes)
Read first time 02/02/96.
AN ACT Relating to a study utilizing vouchers for basic health plan enrollees; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature recognizes that managed care systems are not the only medical financing system capable of reducing health care costs. Health care savings accounts are a method of potentially reducing health care costs and enabling patients to make choices within a fee-for-service health delivery mechanism. The legislature finds it appropriate to study the merit, utility, and effectiveness of health care savings accounts as an option in the basic health plan.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) The administrator of the health care authority, in consultation with interested persons, shall no later than December 1, 1996, submit to the appropriate committees of the legislature, a comprehensive plan for the analysis, design, implementation, and evaluation of a health care savings account program as a benefit option for enrollees in the basic health plan. The health care savings account program option must use a voucher system to purchase health care services on a fee-for-service basis.
(2) The comprehensive plan must include:
(a) An analysis of the merit and utility of a health care savings account program option within the basic health plan;
(b) A detailed design of the proposed health care savings account program option;
(c) A detailed plan for implementing the health care savings account program option; and
(d) A plan to evaluate the effectiveness and acceptance of the health care savings account program option, including a comparison of the costs to both the state and enrollees of health care savings accounts and managed care plan options offered in the basic health plan. The evaluation plan also must include, but not be limited to, an assessment of (i) the health status and satisfaction of enrollees; (ii) the use of preventive health services; and (iii) the extent of adverse selection and market segmentation.
(3) The health care savings account program option must be implemented on or before January 1, 1998, subject to the approval of the program design, implementation plan, and evaluation plan by the legislature and subject to appropriation of funds necessary to implement and evaluate the program.
(4) The administrator of the health care authority shall report annually to the appropriate committees of the legislature for the duration of the health care savings account program and shall submit a final report, including the program evaluation, within the time frame specified in the evaluation plan and approved by the legislature.
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