CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2354

Chapter 83, Laws of 2004

58th Legislature
2004 Regular Session



MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT INSURANCE POLICIES



EFFECTIVE DATE: 3/22/04

Passed by the House March 8, 2004
  Yeas 94   Nays 0

FRANK CHOPP
________________________________________    
Speaker of the House of Representatives


Passed by the Senate March 4, 2004
  Yeas 44   Nays 0


BRAD OWEN
________________________________________    
President of the Senate
 
CERTIFICATE

I, Richard Nafziger, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2354 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.


RICHARD NAFZIGER
________________________________________    
Chief Clerk
Approved March 22, 2004.








GARY F. LOCKE
________________________________________    
Governor of the State of Washington
 
FILED
March 22, 2004 - 5:29 p.m.







Secretary of State
State of Washington


_____________________________________________ 

ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2354
_____________________________________________

AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

Passed Legislature - 2004 Regular Session
State of Washington58th Legislature2004 Regular Session

By House Committee on Health Care (originally sponsored by Representatives Kristiansen, McMahan, Newhouse, Roach, McDonald, Sullivan, Ahern, Simpson, G., Pearson, Morrell, Bailey and Benson)

READ FIRST TIME 01/27/04.   



     AN ACT Relating to rates for a medicare supplement insurance policy; amending RCW 48.66.045; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 48.66.045 and 1999 c 334 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     Every issuer of a medicare supplement insurance policy or certificate providing coverage to a resident of this state issued on or after January 1, 1996, shall:
     (1) Issue coverage under its standardized benefit plans B, C, D, E, F, and G without evidence of insurability to any resident of this state who is eligible for both medicare hospital and physician services by reason of age or by reason of disability or end-stage renal disease, if the medicare supplement policy replaces another medicare supplement standardized benefit plan policy or certificate B, C, D, E, F, or G, or other more comprehensive coverage than the replacing policy;
     (2) Issue coverage under its standardized plans A, H, I, and J without evidence of insurability to any resident of this state who is eligible for both medicare hospital and physician services by reason of age or by reason of disability or end-stage renal disease, if the medicare supplement policy replaces another medicare supplement policy or certificate which is the same standardized plan as the replaced policy; and
     (3) Set rates only on a community-rated basis. Premiums shall be equal for all policyholders and certificate holders under a standardized medicare supplement benefit plan form, except that an issuer may vary premiums based on spousal discounts, frequency of payment, and method of payment including automatic deposit of premiums and may develop no more than two rating pools that distinguish between an insured's eligibility for medicare by reason of:
     (a) Age; or
     (b) Disability or end-stage renal disease.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.


         Passed by the House March 8, 2004.
         Passed by the Senate March 4, 2004.
         Approved by the Governor March 22, 2004.
         Filed in Office of Secretary of State March 22, 2004.