S-3801.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 6121
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State of Washington 54th Legislature 1996 Regular Session
By Senators Quigley, Smith, Fairley, Kohl, Bauer, Drew, Thibaudeau, Sheldon, Snyder, Rinehart, Franklin, Wojahn and Pelz
Read first time 01/08/96. Referred to Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care.
AN ACT Relating to medicare supplemental insurance; amending RCW 41.05.197; and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 41.05.197 and 1993 c 492 s 223 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) If a waiver of the medicare statute, Title XVIII of the federal social security act, sufficient to meet the requirements of chapter 492, Laws of 1993 is not granted on or before January 1, 1995, the medicare supplemental insurance policies authorized under RCW 41.05.195 shall be made available to any resident of the state eligible for medicare benefits. Except for those retired state or school district employees eligible to purchase medicare supplemental benefits through the authority and as provided for under subsection (2) of this section, persons purchasing a medicare supplemental insurance policy under this section shall be required to pay the full cost of any such policy.
(2) Subject to the availability of appropriated funds, the funds shall be used to offset the premiums of persons purchasing a medicare supplemental insurance policy under this section for those persons whose family income is less than two hundred percent of the federal poverty level and who are not otherwise eligible as qualified medicare beneficiaries under the medicaid program eligibility rules in effect January 1996. The administrator shall design and implement a structure of premiums due from persons receiving the offset that is based upon gross family income, giving appropriate consideration to family size. The premium structure shall be similar in concept to the basic health plan subsidy structure under chapter 70.47 RCW, but may recognize differences in: (a) The health care provided under the medicare supplemental insurance policies; (b) the population served under this section; and (c) other factors. The offset shall be available to eligible persons purchasing a medicare supplemental insurance policy beginning October 1, 1997.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The sum of .......... dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the health services account to the health care authority for the purposes of medicare supplemental insurance under this act.
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