H-734                _______________________________________________

                                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 50

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Representatives Locke, Miller, Lux, Allen, Bristow, Nutley, Cole, Nelson, Armstrong, Leonard, Niemi, H. Sommers, Appelwick, Fisch, Belcher, O'Brien, Betrozoff and Rayburn

Read first time 1/15/87 and referred to Committee on Financial Institutions & Insurance.

AN ACT Relating to surgical assistants; 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; and adding a new section to chapter 48.46 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:

          Any disability insurance contract providing hospital and medical expenses and health care services, delivered or issued for delivery in this state after the effective date of this section, shall provide coverage for reasonable charges for services of a surgical assistant if:  (1) The surgical assistant has passed a national exam for surgical assistants; (2) the surgical assistant has met the health care facility requirements to obtain privileges to assist; (3) the surgical assistant has been certified by the state or a national surgical assistant organization; (4) the surgical assistant is performing services within the scope of his or  her certificate; (5) the contract would have provided benefits if such service had been performed by a holder of a license issued under chapter 18.71 RCW; and (6) the patient was informed by a surgeon before the services were provided that a surgical assistant would be assisting.  No provision of chapter 18.71 RCW may be asserted to deny benefits under this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 48.21 RCW to read as follows:

          Any group disability insurance contract or blanket disability insurance contract, delivered or issued for delivery in this state after the effective date of this section, shall provide coverage for reasonable charges for services of a surgical assistant if:  (1) The surgical assistant has passed a national exam for surgical assistants; (2) the surgical assistant has met the health care facility requirements to obtain privileges to assist; (3) the surgical assistant has been certified by the state or a national surgical assistant organization; (4) the surgical assistant is performing services within the scope of his or her certificate; (5) the contract would have provided benefits if such service had been performed by a holder of a license issued under chapter 18.71 RCW; and (6) the patient was informed by a surgeon before the services were provided that a surgical assistant would be assisting.  No provision of chapter 18.71 RCW may be asserted to deny benefits under this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 48.44 RCW to read as follows:

          Any contract for health care service delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state after the effective date of this section, shall provide coverage for reasonable charges for services of a surgical assistant if:  (1) The surgical assistant has passed a national exam for surgical assistants; (2) the surgical assistant has met the requirements of the health care facility to obtain privileges to assist; (3) the surgical assistant has been certified by the state or a national surgical assistant organization; (4) the surgical assistant is performing services within the scope of his or her certificate; (5) the contract would have provided benefits if such service had been performed by a holder of a license issued under chapter 18.71 RCW; and (6) the patient was informed by a surgeon before the services were provided that a surgical assistant would be assisting.  No provision of chapter 18.71 RCW may be asserted to deny benefits under this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 48.46 RCW to read as follows:

          Any group health maintenance agreement delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed in this state after the effective date of this section, shall provide coverage for reasonable charges for services of a surgical assistant if:  (1) The surgical assistant has passed a national exam for surgical assistants; (2) the surgical assistant has met the requirements of the health care facility to obtain privileges to assist; (3) the surgical assistant has been certified by the state or a national surgical assistant organization; (4) the surgical assistant is performing services within the scope of his or her certificate; (5) the agreement would have provided benefits if such service had been performed by a holder of a license issued under chapter 18.71 RCW; and (6) the patient was informed by a surgeon before the services were provided that a surgical assistant would be assisting.  No provision of chapter 18.71 RCW may be asserted to deny benefits under this section.