S-1785.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5981

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1995 Regular Session

By Senators Prentice, Hargrove, Kohl, Heavey and Fairley

Read first time 02/20/95.  Referred to Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care.

Prohibiting providers of health care coverage from reducing or terminating coverage because a person is in confinement.

    AN ACT Relating to health care coverage for confined persons; adding a new section to chapter 48.44 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 48.46 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 48.43 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 48.20 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 48.21 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 48.44 RCW to read as follows:

    A health care service contractor may not deny, refuse to issue, refuse to renew, cancel, or otherwise terminate coverage because a person is an adult who is in confinement as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 or a juvenile who is in confinement as defined in RCW 13.40.020.

    A health care service contractor may not add a surcharge or a rating factor to premiums because a person is an adult who is in confinement as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 or a juvenile who is in confinement as defined in RCW 13.40.020.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 48.46 RCW to read as follows:

    A health maintenance organization may not deny, refuse to issue, refuse to renew, cancel, or otherwise terminate coverage because a person is an adult who is in confinement as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 or a juvenile who is in confinement as defined in RCW 13.40.020.

    A health maintenance organization may not add a surcharge or a rating factor to premiums because a person is an adult who is in confinement as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 or a juvenile who is in confinement as defined in RCW 13.40.020.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 48.43 RCW to read as follows:

    A certified health plan may not deny, refuse to issue, refuse to renew, cancel, or otherwise terminate coverage because a person is an adult who is in confinement as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 or a juvenile who is in confinement as defined in RCW 13.40.020.

    A certified health plan may not add a surcharge or a rating factor to premiums because a person is an adult who is in confinement as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 or a juvenile who is in confinement as defined in RCW 13.40.020.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 48.20 RCW to read as follows:

    A disability insurer may not deny, refuse to issue, refuse to renew, cancel, or otherwise terminate coverage because a person is an adult who is in confinement as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 or a juvenile who is in confinement as defined in RCW 13.40.020.

    A disability insurer may not add a surcharge or a rating factor to premiums because a person is an adult who is in confinement as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 or a juvenile who is in confinement as defined in RCW 13.40.020.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.  A new section is added to chapter 48.21 RCW to read as follows:

    A group and blanket disability insurer may not deny, refuse to issue, refuse to renew, cancel, or otherwise terminate coverage because a person is an adult who is in confinement as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 or a juvenile who is in confinement as defined in RCW 13.40.020.

    A group and blanket disability insurer may not add a surcharge or a rating factor to premiums because a person is an adult who is in confinement as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 or a juvenile who is in confinement as defined in RCW 13.40.020.

                            --- END ---