SENATE RESOLUTION

                         1996-8709

By Senators Moyer, Quigley and Rassmussen

     WHEREAS, The Washington State Legislature has worked diligently toward a public policy of market dynamics in health care to advance the goals of affordability and access to health insurance for all our citizens; and

     WHEREAS, Access to affordable health insurance contributes to the health of Washington's citizens by making it easier and less costly to take advantage of preventive health care services and timely treatment of physical ailments; and

     WHEREAS, The purchase of health insurance by individual buyers is threatened by rising costs; and

     WHEREAS, The availability of health insurance to individuals is diminishing; and

     WHEREAS, All health care purchasers benefit from a health insurance market that includes a variety of choices, benefits and payment methods; and

     WHEREAS, The private health care system has the capacity to tailor insurance coverage to meet the distinct and diverse needs of each individual health care purchaser; and

     WHEREAS, Health insurers have a duty to make affordable health care insurance available to every citizen in Washington; and

     WHEREAS, The Washington State Insurance Commissioner has a responsibility to oversee rules and regulations affecting the insurance industry in a manner that benefits the citizens of the state; and

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Washington requests the Health Care Policy Board, representatives of the health insurance industry, the insurance commissioner's office and other parties of interest to meet as appropriate; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the purpose of these meetings be to develop recommendations to the legislature for a course of action to resolve the problems adversely affecting access to and the affordability of individual health care by January 1, 1997.

I, Marty Brown, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 1996-8709,

adopted by the Senate March 7, 1996.

MARTY BROWN

Secretary of the Senate