S-0879.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5357

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Senators Franklin, Schow, Goings, Long, Prentice, Fraser, Winsley, Loveland, McAuliffe, Spanel, Strannigan, Sheldon, Wood, Kohl, Patterson, Brown, Snyder, Bauer, Kline and Oke

Read first time 01/24/97.  Referred to Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care.

Requiring a study on the costs of trauma care services for individuals who are unable to pay.

    AN ACT Relating to trauma care services for individuals who are unable to pay; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that a successful state‑wide trauma care system depends on the voluntary participation of hospitals and health care facilities as designated trauma care centers for the special purpose of providing lifesaving medical care to victims of severe trauma.  The legislature further finds that these services are expensive, and that providing them may create a particular financial burden on designated trauma care services when this care serves patients who cannot pay for it themselves and for whom there is no third‑party payer.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  The joint legislative audit and review committee shall conduct or cause to be conducted a study on the cost of trauma care services provided to patients who are unable to pay for their care in designated trauma care centers in this state.  The study shall include all costs, charges, expenses, and levels of reimbursement associated with designated trauma care services and provide its findings and recommendations to the legislature by July 1, 1998.

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