5587-S AAS 3/11/99

SSB 5587 - S AMD - 132

    By Senators Winsley and Thibaudeau

                                                   ADOPTED 3/11/99

    On page 2, line 1, after "PRIVACY."  Strike all material through "organizations." on line 18, and insert "(1) Each health carrier must develop and implement policies and procedures governing the collection, use, and disclosure of health information. These policies and procedures must include methods for enrollees to access information and amend incorrect information, for enrollees to restrict the disclosure of sensitive information, and for enrollees to obtain information about the carrier's health information policies.  In addition, these policies and procedures must include methods for carrier oversight and enforcement of information policies, for carrier storage and disposal of health information, and for carrier conformance to state and federal laws governing the collection, use, and disclosure of personally identifiable health information.  Each carrier must provide a summary notice of its health information policies to enrollees, including the enrollee's right to restrict the collection, use, and disclosure of health information.

    (2) Except as otherwise required by statute or rule, a health carrier is, and all persons acting at the direction of or on behalf of a carrier or in receipt of an enrollee's personally identifiable health information are, prohibited from collecting, using, or disclosing personally identifiable health information unless authorized in writing by the person who is the subject of the information.  At a minimum, such authorization must be valid for a limited time and purpose; be specific as to purpose and types of information to be collected, used, or disclosed; and identify the persons who will be receiving the information.

    (3) The commissioner shall adopt rules to implement this section and shall take into consideration health information privacy standards recommended by the national association of insurance commissioners and other related professional organizations.

    (4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the creation, use, or release of anonymized data for which there is no reasonable basis to believe that the information could be used to identify an individual."

SSB 5587 - S AMD ‑ 130

    BySenators Hargrove and Thibadeau

                                                   ADOPTED 3/11/99

    On page 6, line 24, after "(b)" insert the following:

    "Establish and use a rotational registry system for the assignment of a certified independent review organization to each appeal;

    (c)"

    Renumber the subsections consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly.

SSB 5587 - S AMD ‑ 131

    BySenator Thibaudeau

                                                   ADOPTED 3/11/99

    On page 9, after line 14, insert the following:

    "NEW SECTION. Sec. 7.  This act shall apply to all health plans issued or renewed after December 31, 1999."

    Renumber the sections consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly.

                            --- END ---

EFFECT: Rewords section on patient privacy and allows an exception for anonymized data.

EFFECT: Provides that review organizations be assigned pursuant to a rotational registry.

EFFECT: Establishes effective date of December 31, 1999.