Passed by the House March 6, 2010 Yeas 95   ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate March 2, 2010 Yeas 45   ________________________________________ President of the Senate | 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 2686 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. ________________________________________ Chief Clerk | |
Approved ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | Secretary of State State of Washington |
State of Washington | 61st Legislature | 2010 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/03/10.
AN ACT Relating to fees for dental services that are not covered services under dental insurance or dental health care service contracts; adding a new section to chapter 48.20 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 48.21 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 48.44 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 A new section is added to chapter 48.20 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no disability
insurance policy of any disability insurer as provided in this chapter
subject to the jurisdiction of the state of Washington that covers any
dental services, and no contract or participating provider agreement
with a dentist may:
(a) Require, directly or indirectly, that a dentist who is a
participating provider provide services to a subscriber at a fee set
by, or at a fee subject to the approval of, the disability insurer
unless the dental services are covered services, including services
that would be reimbursable but for the application of contractual
limitations such as benefit maximums, deductibles, coinsurance, waiting
periods, or frequency limitations, under the applicable disability
insurance policy; nor
(b) Prohibit, directly or indirectly, a dentist who is a
participating provider from offering or providing to a subscriber
dental services that are not covered services on any terms or
conditions acceptable to the dentist and the subscriber.
(2) For the purposes of this section, "covered services" means
dental services that are reimbursable under the applicable insurance
policy or subscriber agreement or would be reimbursable but for the
application of contractual limitations such as benefit maximums,
deductibles, coinsurance, waiting periods or frequency limitations.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 48.21 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no group
disability insurance contract or blanket disability insurance contract
of any disability insurer as provided for in this chapter subject to
the jurisdiction of the state of Washington that covers any dental
services, and no contract or participating provider agreement with a
dentist may:
(a) Require, directly or indirectly, that a dentist who is a
participating provider provide services to a subscriber at a fee set
by, or at a fee subject to the approval of, the disability insurer
unless the dental services are covered services, including services
that would be reimbursable but for the application of contractual
limitations such as benefit maximums, deductibles, coinsurance, waiting
periods, or frequency limitations, under the applicable group plan or
disability insurance policy; nor
(b) Prohibit, directly or indirectly, a dentist who is a
participating provider from offering or providing to a subscriber
dental services that are not covered services on any terms or
conditions acceptable to the dentist and the subscriber.
(2) For the purposes of this section, "covered services" means
dental services that are reimbursable under the applicable insurance
policy, group plan, or subscriber agreement or would be reimbursable
but for the application of contractual limitations such as benefit
maximums, deductibles, coinsurance, waiting periods or frequency
limitations.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new section is added to chapter 48.44 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no contract of any
health care service contractor subject to the jurisdiction of the state
of Washington that covers any dental services, and no contract or
participating provider agreement with a dentist may:
(a) Require, directly or indirectly, that a dentist who is a
participating provider provide services to an enrolled participant at
a fee set by, or at a fee subject to the approval of, the health care
service contractor unless the dental services are covered services,
including services that would be reimbursable but for the application
of contractual limitations such as benefit maximums, deductibles,
coinsurance, waiting periods, or frequency limitations, under the
applicable group contract or individual contract; nor
(b) Prohibit, directly or indirectly, a dentist who is a
participating provider from offering or providing to an enrolled
participant dental services that are not covered services on any terms
or conditions acceptable to the dentist and the enrolled participant.
(2) For the purposes of this section, "covered services" means
dental services that are reimbursable under the applicable subscriber
agreement or would be reimbursable but for the application of
contractual limitations such as benefit maximums, deductibles,
coinsurance, waiting periods or frequency limitations.