CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

                  SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5313

                    Chapter 87, Laws of 1999

                        56th Legislature

                      1999 Regular Session

MENTAL HEALTH RECORD AUDITS

                    EFFECTIVE DATE:  7/25/99

Passed by the Senate March 16, 1999   YEAS 48   NAYS 0                BRAD OWEN President of the Senate Passed by the House April 8, 1999   YEAS 96   NAYS 0

CERTIFICATE I, Tony M. Cook, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is  SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5313 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth.

CLYDE BALLARD Speaker of the       House of Representatives	TONY M. COOK                             Secretary
FRANK CHOPP Speaker of the       House of Representatives

Approved April 22, 1999 Place Style On Codes above, and Style Off Codes below.

FILED                      April 22, 1999 - 3:49 p.m.

GARY LOCKE Governor of the State of Washington

Secretary of State                  State of Washington

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                    SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5313

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             Passed Legislature - 1999 Regular Session

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care (originally sponsored by Senators Wojahn, Zarelli, Thibaudeau, Deccio and Winsley)

Read first time 03/03/1999.

Limiting the scope of mental health record audits.  

    AN ACT Relating to the scope of mental health record audits; 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:

    Every health carrier that provides coverage for any outpatient mental health service shall comply with the following requirements:

    (1) In performing a utilization review of mental health services for a specific enrollee, the utilization review is limited to accessing only the specific health care information contained in the enrollee's record.

    (2) In performing an audit of a provider that has furnished mental health services to a carrier's enrollees, the audit is limited to accessing only the records of enrollees covered by the specific health carrier for which the audit is being performed, except as otherwise permitted by RCW 70.02.050 and 71.05.630.

    Passed the Senate March 16, 1999.

    Passed the House April 8, 1999.

Approved by the Governor April 22, 1999.

    Filed in Office of Secretary of State April 22, 1999.