6444-S.E AMH GREE PRIN 256

ESSB 6444 - H AMD TO H AMD (H-5483.2/10) 1326

By Representative Green

WITHDRAWN 3/05/2010

    On page 243, after line 30 of the striking amendment, insert the following:

"Sec. 715.  2009 c 564 s 915 (uncodified) is amended to read as follows:

General Fund--State Appropriation (FY 2011)........... $80,472,000

Special Account Salary/Insurance Increase Account--State Revolving Account Appropriation......................................... $84,430,000

TOTAL APPROPRIATION........................ $164,902,000

Appropriations for state agencies in this act, and as appropriated above, are sufficient for nonrepresented and represented state employee health benefits for state agencies, including institutions of higher education.  The office of financial management shall update agency appropriations schedules to reflect the changes to funding levels in this section by agency and fund. ((and))The appropriations for health insurance funding rates in state agency appropriations, and those in this section are subject to the following conditions and limitations:

    (1)(a) The monthly employer funding rate for insurance benefit premiums, public employees' benefits board administration, and the uniform medical plan, shall not exceed $745 per eligible employee for fiscal year 2010.  For fiscal year 2011 the monthly employer funding rate shall not exceed (($768))$885 per eligible employee.

    (b) In order to achieve the level of funding provided for health benefits, the public employees' benefits board shall require any or all of the following:  Employee premium copayments, increases in point-of-service cost sharing, the implementation of managed competition, or make other changes to benefits consistent with RCW 41.05.065.  During the 2009-11 fiscal biennium, the board may only authorize benefit plans and premium contributions for an employee and the employee's dependents that are the same, regardless of an employee's status as represented or nonrepresented under the personnel system reform act of 2002.

    (c) The health care authority shall deposit any moneys received on behalf of the uniform medical plan as a result of rebates on prescription drugs, audits of hospitals, subrogation payments, or any other moneys recovered as a result of prior uniform medical plan claims payments, into the public employees' and retirees' insurance account to be used for insurance benefits.  Such receipts shall not be used for administrative expenditures.

    (d) The conditions in this section apply to benefits for nonrepresented employees, employees represented by the super coalition, and represented employees outside of the super coalition, including employees represented under chapter 47.64 RCW.

    (2) The health care authority, subject to the approval of the public employees' benefits board, shall provide subsidies for health benefit premiums to eligible retired or disabled public employees and school district employees who are eligible for medicare, pursuant to RCW 41.05.085.  From January 1, 2010, through the remainder of the 2009-11 fiscal biennium, the subsidy shall be $182.89.

    (3) Technical colleges, school districts, and educational service districts shall remit to the health care authority for deposit into the public employees' and retirees' insurance account established in RCW 41.05.120 the following amounts:

    (a) For each full-time employee, $59.59 per month beginning September 1, 2009, and $64.90 beginning September 1, 2010;

    (b) For each part-time employee, who at the time of the remittance is employed in an eligible position as defined in RCW 41.32.010 or 41.40.010 and is eligible for employer fringe benefit contributions for basic benefits, $59.59 each month beginning September 1, 2009, and $64.90 beginning September 1, 2010, prorated by the proportion of employer fringe benefit contributions for a full-time employee that the part-time employee receives.  The remittance requirements specified in this subsection shall not apply to employees of a technical college, school district, or educational service district who purchase insurance benefits through contracts with the health care authority."

    Correct the title.

EFFECT:   In addition to appropriations for state agency employee health insurance costs included in agency budgets, an amount sufficient to increase the fiscal year 2011 state funding rate from $768 per employee per month to $885 is appropriated.

FISCAL IMPACT:

           Increases General Fund-State by $80,472,000.

           Increases Other Funds by $84,430,000.

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