Z-0605.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5589

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Senators Winsley, Prentice, Kline, Fairley and Fraser

Read first time 02/03/97.  Referred to Committee on Financial Institutions, Insurance & Housing.

Restricting the conditions of medicare supplemental insurance policies.

    AN ACT Relating to medicare supplemental insurance policies; and adding a new section to chapter 48.66 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 48.66 RCW to read as follows:

    Beginning January 1, 1998, no medicare supplemental insurance policy or certificate providing coverage to any Washington resident may be issued if it denies or conditions the effectiveness of coverage during the first twelve months after the insured was first covered by a policy or plan of a health maintenance organization, health care service contractor, or other direct service organization that provides benefits or services under a contract or agreement issued pursuant to section 1876 or section 1833 of the federal social security act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1395 et seq.).

                            --- END ---