FINAL BILL REPORT

ESHB 1371

C 165 L 01

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Allowing participation in health care authority insurance plans and contracts by surviving spouses and dependent children of emergency service personnel killed in the line of duty.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Appropriations (originally sponsored by Representatives Morell, O'Brien, Woods, Bush, Cooper, Haigh, Simpson, Armstrong, Ahern, Lovick, Marine, Anderson, Pearson, Benson, Keiser, Conway, Hurst, Santos and Campbell).

House Committee on Appropriations

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Background:

Retired or disabled employees of the state, school districts, counties, cities, and other political subdivisions whose active employees purchase insurance from the Public Employees= Benefits Board (PEBB) may purchase health care benefits from the PEBB.  This coverage is purchased at full cost based on a risk pool.  The cost includes an additional administrative fee for each participant.  Participants eligible for Medicare parts A and B are placed in one risk pool.  All other retired or disabled participants are placed in a risk pool with active employees.  Both groups are charged based on the per capita costs incurred by the appropriate risk pool, minus a subsidy in the case of Medicare eligible participants.

Summary:

Surviving spouses and dependant children of emergency service personnel killed in the line of duty may purchase health care benefits from the Public Employees' Benefits Board.  "Emergency service personnel" means members of the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System and members of the Volunteer Fire Fighters' and Reserve Officers' Relief and Pension System.  The act applies to all surviving spouses and dependant children of emergency service personnel killed in the line of duty on or after January 1, 1998.

Votes on Final Passage:

House930

Senate490(Senate amended)

House940(House concurred)

Effective:  May 7, 2001

May 1, 2002 (Section 2)