FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5864

                          C 312 L 99

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Allowing a health maintenance organization to return an individual to his or her nursing care facility.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Fairley, Thibaudeau and Kohl‑Welles).

Senate Committee on Health & Long-Term Care

House Committee on Health Care

Background:  Upon discharge from a hospital, some people may require rehabilitation services in a long-term care facility.  Health insurance plans typically provide coverage for such services.  In some cases, a person may already be living in a long-term care facility prior to his or her hospitalization.  In such cases, the health insurance plan is under no obligation to allow the person to return to that same facility to receive the rehabilitation services.

Summary:  A health carrier that provides coverage for a person at a long-term care facility following the person=s hospitalization shall, upon the request of the person or his or her legal representative, provide such coverage at the facility in which the person resided prior to the hospitalization.  The requested facility must be able to meet the person=s medical needs, and must agree to provide the services at the same rate and under the same terms and conditions as similar facilities with which the carrier otherwise contracts.  The act may be known and cited as the AKitson Act.@

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate 42 0

House     95 0 (House amended)

Senate    44 0 (Senate concurred)

Effective:  July 25, 1999