H-3436              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 2486

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Representatives Vekich, Cole, Leonard, Prentice, Braddock, Jones, Nelson, Rector, Wineberry and Brekke

Read first time 1/12/90 and referred to Committee on Financial Institutions & Insurance.

AN ACT Relating to health care benefits for part-time employees; 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 48.21 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) Each group insurer providing disability insurance coverage in this state for hospital or medical care under contracts that are issued, delivered, or renewed in this state on or after the effective date of this act, shall offer the same group health benefits to part-time employees as the insurer offers to the employee groups of which the part-time employees would be members if the part-time employees were full-time employees.  The insurer shall offer to include the part-time employees as part of the employer's employee group at any of the following rates at the employer's option:  (a) At the full rate to be paid by the employer; (b) at a rate prorated between the employer and the employee; or (c) at the employee's expense.  For the purposes of this section, a part-time employee is any employee who works a minimum of fifteen hours per week and who regularly works no less than half of the weekly hours that are worked by a full-time employee in the employee group of which the part-time employee would be a member if the part-time employee were a full-time employee.

          (2) This section shall not apply to a group disability insurance contract that has been entered into under a collective bargaining agreement between the employer and the employee exclusive bargaining representative prior to the effective date of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 48.44 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) Each health care service contractor providing hospital or medical services or benefits in this state under group contracts for health care services that are issued, delivered, or renewed in this state on or after the effective date of this act, shall offer the same group health benefits to part-time employees as the insurer offers to the employee groups of which the part-time employees would be members if the part-time employees were full-time employees.  The insurer shall offer to include the part-time employees as part of the employer's employee group at any of the following rates at the employer's option:  (a) At the full rate to be paid by the employer; (b) at a rate prorated between the employer and the employee; or (c) at the employee's expense.  For the purposes of this section, a part-time employee is any employee who works a minimum of fifteen hours per week and who regularly works no less than half of the weekly hours that are worked by a full-time employee in the employee group of which the part-time employee would be a member if the part-time employee were a full-time employee.

          (2) This section shall not apply to a group health care services contract that has been entered into under a collective bargaining agreement between the employer and the employee exclusive bargaining representative prior to the effective date of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 48.46 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) Each health maintenance organization providing services or benefits for hospital or medical care coverage in this state under group health maintenance agreements that are issued, delivered, or renewed in this state on or after the effective date of this act, shall offer the same coverage to part-time employees as the insurer offers to the employee groups of which the part-time employees would be members if the part-time employees were full-time employees.  The insurer shall offer to include the part- time employees as part of the employer's employee group at any of the following rates at the employer's option:  (a) At the full rate to be paid by the employer; (b) at a rate prorated between the employer and the employee; or (c) at the employee's expense.  For the purposes of this section, a part-time employee is any employee who works a minimum of fifteen hours per week and who regularly works no less than half of the weekly hours that are worked by a full-time employee in the employee group of which the part-time employee would be a member if the part-time employee were a full-time employee.

          (2) This section shall not apply to a group health maintenance agreement that has been entered into under a collective bargaining agreement between the employer and the employee exclusive bargaining representative prior to the effective date of this act.