H-0994.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1337

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State of Washington      55th Legislature     1997 Regular Session

By Representatives Dyer, Backlund and Sherstad

Read first time 01/22/97.  Referred to Committee on Health Care.

Authorizing providers and provider groups to offer health care coverage.

    AN ACT Relating to authorizing providers and provider groups to offer health care coverage; and adding a new section to chapter 48.43 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 48.43 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) It is the intent of the legislature to clarify the regulatory requirements of a health care provider or a provider network contracting with a third-party payer to provide health care services on a capitation, prepaid, or other at-risk basis.  Further, it is the intent of the legislature to encourage innovation in the delivering and financing of health care services so long as a lawful third-party payer remains ultimately financially responsible for the provision of the health care services for which the public has paid premiums.

    (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, a health care provider or provider network is not engaging in the business of insurance or otherwise subject to the jurisdiction of this title when compensated by a third-party payer on a capitation, prepaid, or other at-risk basis so long as a lawful third-party payer is ultimately financially responsible to the patient for the provision of the health care services contracted, regardless of whether or not the provider or provider network accepts compensation, which, in turn, is used to pay other types of health care providers for health care services.

    (3) For purposes of this section, "lawful third-party payer" means a third-party payer who is operating lawfully under state or federal law, including health carriers regulated pursuant to this title; publicly funded health care service coverage programs pursuant to chapters 41.05, 70.47, and 74.09 RCW; health care service coverage programs of a local governmental authority pursuant to chapter 48.62 RCW; any industrial insurance programs under Title 51 RCW; private self-insured employer welfare benefit plans exempt from state insurance regulation by federal law; and the federal government as to any of its health care programs such as medicare, civilian health and medical program for the uniform services, or coverage for a federal employee and dependent.

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