BILL REQ. #:  S-0222.1 

Read first time 01/29/13.   Referred to Committee on Health Care .

     AN ACT Relating to reducing the financial loss to emergency medical care and transportation services by ensuring direct payment for emergency transportation services; and amending RCW 48.44.026.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 48.44.026 and 1999 c 130 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
     Checks in payment for claims pursuant to any health care service contract for health care services provided by persons licensed or regulated under chapter((s)) 18.25, 18.29, 18.30, 18.32, 18.53, 18.57, 18.64, 18.71, 18.73, 18.74, 18.83, or 18.79 RCW, as it applies to registered nurses and advanced registered nurse practitioners, where the provider is not a participating provider under a contract with the health care service contractor, shall be made out to both the provider and the enrolled participant with the provider as the first named payee, jointly, to require endorsement by each((: PROVIDED, That)). Payment shall be made in the single name of the enrolled participant if the enrolled participant as part of his or her claim furnishes evidence of prepayment to the health care service provider((: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That)). Nothing in this section shall preclude a health care service contractor from voluntarily issuing payment in the single name of the provider. Payment for claims pursuant to a health care service contract for health care services provided by persons licensed or regulated under chapter 18.73 RCW shall be paid directly or shall be copayable to the emergency medical care and transportation services provider as described in chapter 18.73 RCW.