BILL REQ. #: S-1896.1
| State of Washington | 58th Legislature | 2003 Regular Session |
Read first time 02/28/2003. Referred to Committee on Ways & Means.
AN ACT Relating to demonstration projects that modify the basic health plan; and adding a new section to chapter 70.47 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 A new section is added to chapter 70.47 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The administrator shall solicit and may approve applications
from local organizations for demonstration projects for which the terms
and conditions of this chapter governing the design and operation of
the basic health plan are modified.
(2) Modifications that the administrator may approve include, but
are not limited to, those relating to eligibility standards, benefits
design, and enrollee premiums and cost-sharing. Demonstration projects
may also include applying basic health plan subsidy payments toward
employer-sponsored health insurance or other health insurance premium
shares rather than as payments to managed health care systems
participating in the basic health plan.
(3) The administrator may approve only applications for
demonstration projects reasonably expected to provide benefits of
comparable value, at the same cost to the state, to a greater number of
persons than is provided by the standard basic health plan for the
geographic area in which the demonstration project would be implemented
on the date the application is received. In approving an application,
the administrator shall also consider:
(a) The capacity of the applicant organization to participate in
implementation of the demonstration project, including the financial
and in-kind resources at its disposal;
(b) The extent to which the proposed project represents an
innovative approach to health care delivery or financing;
(c) The extent to which the proposed project will improve the
quality of care received by and health status of basic health plan
enrollees; and
(d) The extent to which the proposed project could be replicated in
other parts of the state should it prove successful.
(4) All other laws applicable to health carriers and health care
providers under the basic health plan outside of this chapter apply to
demonstration projects approved under this section.
(5) By November 1, 2003, the administrator shall report to the
health care committees of the senate and the house of representatives
on their progress in developing the demonstration projects authorized
in this section and the anticipated implementation date of any projects
under development.