The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) requires the following standards are applicable to all medicare supplemental policies or certificates delivered or issued for delivery in the state to individuals newly eligible for medicare on or after January 1, 2020. No policy or certificate that provides coverage of the medicare Part B deductible may be advertised, solicited, delivered or issued for delivery in this state as a medicare supplemental policy or certificate to individuals newly eligible for medicare on or after January 1, 2020. All policies must comply with the following benefit standards. Benefit plan standards to medicare supplemental policies and certificates issued to individuals eligible for medicare before January 1, 2020, remain subject to the requirements of WAC
284-66-067.
(1) Benefit requirements. The standards and requirements of WAC
284-66-067 shall apply to all medicare supplemental policies or certificates delivered or issued for delivery to those newly eligible for medicare on or after January 1, 2020, with the following exceptions:
(a) Standardized medicare supplemental benefit plan C is redesignated as plan D and must provide the benefits contained in WAC
284-66-067 (5)(c) but shall not provide coverage for one hundred percent or any portion of the medicare Part B deductible;
(b) Standardized medicare supplemental benefit plan F is redesignated as plan G and must provide the benefits contained in WAC
284-66-067 (5)(e) but shall not provide coverage for one hundred percent or any portion of the medicare Part B deductible;
(c) Standardized medicare supplemental plans C, F, and F with high deductible may not be offered to individuals newly eligible for medicare on or after January 1, 2020;
(d) Standardized medicare supplemental benefit plan F with high deductible is redesignated as plan G with high deductible and must provide the benefits contained in WAC
284-66-067 (5)(f) but shall not provide coverage for one hundred percent or any portion of the medicare Part B deductible; provided further that, the medicare Part B deductible paid by the beneficiary shall be considered an out-of-pocket expense in meeting the annual high deductible; and
(e) The reference to plans C or F contained in WAC
284-66-067 (1)(b) is deemed a reference to plans D or G for purposes of this section.
(2) Applicability to certain individuals. This section applies only to individuals that are newly eligible for medicare on or after January 1, 2020:
(a) By reason of attaining age sixty-five on or after January 1, 2020; or
(b) By reason of entitlement to benefits under Part A under section 226(b) or 226A of the Social Security Act, or who is deemed to be eligible for benefits under section 226(a) of the Social Security Act on or after January 1, 2020.
(3) Offer of redesignated plans to individuals other than newly eligible. On or after January 1, 2020, the standardized benefit plans described in subsection (1)(d) of this section may be offered to any individual who was eligible for medicare prior to January 1, 2020, in addition to the standardized plans described in WAC
284-66-067.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
48.02.060,
48.66.041, and
48.66.165. WSR 19-17-074 (Matter R 2019-01), § 284-66-068, filed 8/20/19, effective 9/20/19. Statutory Authority: RCW
48.66.165. WSR 09-05-004 (Matter No. R 2008-23), § 284-66-068, filed 2/4/09, effective 3/7/09.]