WSR 98-07-064
PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
INSURANCE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE
[Insurance Commissioner Matter No. R 98-7--Filed March 17, 1998, 12:01 p.m.]
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Mental health benefits definitions and disclosure
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 48.02.060, 48.44.050, 48.46.200, and 48.30.010
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The terms and definitions used by health plans in describing their mental health benefits have been the subject of complaints to the commissioner. Consumers and providers of mental health services have been confused about a variety of carrier innovations in managing mental health treatments. The commissioner will consider simplifying mental health benefit descriptions by establishing definitions for terms commonly used to describe these benefits. This would improve the consumer's ability to understand the benefits provided by a plan and compare those benefits to benefits provided by other plans
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None
Process for Developing New Rule: Agency study; written comments are solicited. Please send comments to: Kacy Brandeberry, P.O. Box 40256, Olympia, WA 98504-0256, FAX (360) 407-0186, Internet KacyB@oic.wa.gov
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Kacy Brandeberry, P.O. Box 40256, Olympia, WA 98504-0256, phone (360) 407-0729, FAX (360) 407-0186, Internet KacyB@oic.wa.gov
March 17, 1998
Ed Fleisher
Deputy Insurance Commissioner