Passed by the House April 13, 2011 Yeas 79   FRANK CHOPP ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate April 6, 2011 Yeas 43   BRAD OWEN ________________________________________ 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 ENGROSSED HOUSE BILL 1517 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. BARBARA BAKER ________________________________________ Chief Clerk | |
Approved April 22, 2011, 2:09 p.m. CHRISTINE GREGOIRE ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | April 22, 2011 Secretary of State State of Washington |
State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2011 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/25/11. Referred to Committee on Health Care & Wellness.
AN ACT Relating to requiring comparable coverage for patients who require orally administered anticancer medication; adding a new section to chapter 41.05 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 48.20 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 48.21 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 48.44 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 48.46 RCW; and creating new sections.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The Washington state legislature finds that
for cancer patients, there is an inequity in how much they have to pay
toward the cost of a self-administered oral medication and how much
they have to pay for an intravenous product that is administered in a
physician's office or clinic. The legislature further finds that when
these inequities exist, patients' access to medically necessary,
appropriate treatment is often unfairly restricted. The legislature
also acknowledges that self-administered chemotherapy is the only
treatment for some types of cancer where there is no intravenous
alternative. The legislature declares that in order to reduce the out-of-pocket costs for cancer patients whose diagnosis requires treatment
through self-administered anticancer medication, the cost-sharing
responsibilities for these patients must be on a basis at least
comparable to those of patients receiving intravenously administered
anticancer medication.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 41.05 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Each health plan offered to public employees and their covered
dependents under this chapter, including those subject to the provision
of Title 48 RCW, and is issued or renewed beginning January 1, 2012,
and provides coverage for cancer chemotherapy treatment must provide
coverage for prescribed, self-administered anticancer medication that
is used to kill or slow the growth of cancerous cells on a basis at
least comparable to cancer chemotherapy medications administered by a
health care provider or facility as defined in RCW 48.43.005 (15) and
(16).
(2) Nothing in this section may be interpreted to prohibit a health
plan from administering a formulary or preferred drug list, requiring
prior authorization, or imposing other appropriate utilization controls
in approving coverage for any chemotherapy.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new section is added to chapter 48.20 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Each health plan issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2012,
that provides coverage for cancer chemotherapy treatment must provide
coverage for prescribed, self-administered anticancer medication that
is used to kill or slow the growth of cancerous cells on a basis at
least comparable to cancer chemotherapy medications administered by a
health care provider or facility as defined in RCW 48.43.005 (15) and
(16).
(2) Nothing in this section may be interpreted to prohibit a health
plan from administering a formulary or preferred drug list, requiring
prior authorization, or imposing other appropriate utilization controls
in approving coverage for any chemotherapy.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 A new section is added to chapter 48.21 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Each health plan issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2012,
that provides coverage for cancer chemotherapy treatment must provide
coverage for prescribed, self-administered anticancer medication that
is used to kill or slow the growth of cancerous cells on a basis at
least comparable to cancer chemotherapy medications administered by a
health care provider or facility as defined in RCW 48.43.005 (15) and
(16).
(2) Nothing in this section may be interpreted to prohibit a health
plan from administering a formulary or preferred drug list, requiring
prior authorization, or imposing other appropriate utilization controls
in approving coverage for any chemotherapy.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 A new section is added to chapter 48.44 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Each health plan issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2012,
that provides coverage for cancer chemotherapy treatment must provide
coverage for prescribed, self-administered anticancer medication that
is used to kill or slow the growth of cancerous cells on a basis at
least comparable to cancer chemotherapy medications administered by a
health care provider or facility as defined in RCW 48.43.005 (15) and
(16).
(2) Nothing in this section may be interpreted to prohibit a health
plan from administering a formulary or preferred drug list, requiring
prior authorization, or imposing other appropriate utilization controls
in approving coverage for any chemotherapy.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6 A new section is added to chapter 48.46 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Each health plan issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2012,
that provides coverage for cancer chemotherapy treatment must provide
coverage for prescribed, self-administered anticancer medication that
is used to kill or slow the growth of cancerous cells on a basis at
least comparable to cancer chemotherapy medications administered by a
health care provider or facility as defined in RCW 48.43.005 (15) and
(16).
(2) Nothing in this section may be interpreted to prohibit a health
plan from administering a formulary or preferred drug list, requiring
prior authorization, or imposing other appropriate utilization controls
in approving coverage for any chemotherapy.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7 Each health plan offering individual or
small group products that provides coverage for prescribed, self-administered anticancer medication as required under this act must
report to the health committees of the legislature by November 1, 2013,
with a summary of their cost experience.