BILL REQ. #:  S-4412.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/03/10.   

     AN ACT Relating to monitoring customer complaints and appeals and reporting them to the legislature; and adding a new section to chapter 41.05 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 41.05 RCW to read as follows:
     Beginning in 2011, the state health care authority must process as a complaint an enrollee's expression of dissatisfaction about customer service or the quality or availability of a health service. The agency must require that each health plan that provides medical insurance offered under this chapter, including plans created by insuring entities, plans not subject to the provisions of Title 48 RCW, and plans created under RCW 41.05.140 must submit a summary of customer service complaints and appeals to the agency to be included in an annual report to the legislature. Each annual report must summarize the complaints and appeals processed by the state health care authority and contracted carriers in the preceding twelve months, and include an analysis of any trends identified. The report must be must complete by September 30th of each year.