CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1308



61st Legislature
2009 Regular Session

Passed by the House March 3, 2009
  Yeas 97   Nays 0


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Speaker of the House of Representatives


Passed by the Senate April 3, 2009
  Yeas 46   Nays 0



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President of the Senate
CERTIFICATE

I, Barbara Baker, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1308 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth.



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Chief Clerk
Approved 









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Governor of the State of Washington
FILED







Secretary of State
State of Washington


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SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1308
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Passed Legislature - 2009 Regular Session
State of Washington61st Legislature2009 Regular Session

By House Health Care & Wellness (originally sponsored by Representatives Driscoll, Hinkle, Cody, Sells, Wood, Morrell, Kelley, Clibborn, Moeller, Pedersen, Hudgins, Ormsby, Parker, Chase, Kenney, Goodman, Bailey, Simpson, Herrera, and Nelson; by request of Insurance Commissioner)

READ FIRST TIME 02/20/09.   



     AN ACT Relating to reducing organ transplant benefit waiting periods based upon prior creditable coverage; adding a new section to chapter 48.43 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   It is the intent of the legislature to reduce organ transplant benefit waiting periods for covered persons who have had prior continuous coverage and have changed health carriers or health benefit plans.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 48.43 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) For each health benefit plan that is issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2010, a health carrier shall reduce any organ transplant benefit waiting period by the amount of time a covered person had prior creditable coverage. Benefits provided are subject to all other terms and conditions of the health benefit plan, including but not limited to any applicable coinsurances, deductibles, and copayments.
     (2) For purposes of this section, "creditable coverage" means the same as set forth in section 2701 of the federal health insurance portability and accountability act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 300gg), as it existed on the effective date of this section, or on such subsequent date as may be provided by the commissioner by rule, consistent with the purposes of this section, and also includes coverage which terminated during the period beginning ninety days and ending sixty-four days before the date of application for the new plan if that coverage would otherwise have qualified as creditable coverage under that federal act.

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