S-3595.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6198

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

By Senators Wojahn, Thibaudeau, Goings, Kline, Jacobsen, Spanel, B. Sheldon, Franklin, Prentice, Rasmussen, Bauer, McAuliffe and Winsley

Read first time 01/10/2000.  Referred to Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care.

Allowing residents to purchase health care from the Washington state health care authority.

    AN ACT Relating to health care services; and adding a new section to chapter 41.05 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 41.05 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) Any state resident may purchase from the authority any plan purchased for the public employees' benefit program or for the basic health plan.

    (2) The premium paid by each resident for health insurance coverage under this section may not exceed the lowest cost the state paid to purchase that plan in fiscal year 1999, except that the premium may be adjusted to reflect changes in the implicit price deflator for all items as determined by the office of financial management.

    (3) No resident whose gross family income is less than the equivalent of forty-five thousand dollars for a family of four, or three hundred percent of the federal poverty level as periodically adjusted for inflation, may be required to pay more than ten percent of their gross family income to obtain coverage under this section.

    (4) Any additional public funds that may be necessary to implement this section shall be raised by the legislature through increases in the tobacco tax as authorized under chapter 82.26 RCW.

    (5) No public employee or basic health plan enrollee may be charged more or receive fewer health benefits as a consequence of this section.

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