1805-S AMS HEA S5032.3

SHB 1805 - S COMM AMD

By Committee on Health & Long-Term Care

    Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

    "NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 70.47 RCW to read as follows:

    The administrator shall establish a health care savings account and catastrophic insurance pilot project for a four-year period separately administered by the Washington state health care authority.  The pilot project is exempt from the provisions and requirements of Title 48 RCW, except that the premium or prepayment tax imposed by RCW 48.14.0201 shall be applied to the catastrophic insurance premium.  Requirements on eligibility, enrollee financial participation, and account management and use may be similar to the provisions of the federal medical savings account program of the federal health insurance portability and accountability act of 1996 (Part C, Title III, section 301), as amended.  The administrator shall contract with an actuarial firm to develop the pilot project.  The firm must have extensive knowledge of the operations of health care savings accounts coverage and must have in its employ an actuary who is a fellow of the American academy of actuaries and who demonstrates a minimum of two years of experience performing actuarial analyses of health care savings account coverage and programs.  The administrator shall submit a status report to the appropriate committees of the legislature no later than January 31, 1999, detailing the contracted actuarial firm's findings, including projected product costs, minimum recommended enrollment targets, and an evaluation of the program's impact on the health insurance market in Washington state.  The administrator shall offer the pilot project no later than October 1, 1999.  The administrator shall conduct an evaluation on the pilot project's effectiveness and report its finding to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 31, 2002.  Except for start-up costs, including program development and procurement, the full cost of the pilot project, including administration, marketing, and evaluation, is to be incurred by enrollee premiums and no additional cost is to be incurred by the state.  The administrator may use grants and gifts for the purpose of supporting program development and operation."

SHB 1805 - S COMM AMD

By Committee on Health & Long-Term Care

    On page 1, line 2 of the title, after "plan;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "and adding a new section to chapter 70.47 RCW."

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