H-0885.2 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 1624
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State of Washington 57th Legislature 2001 Regular Session
By Representatives Morris, Cairnes, Reardon, Conway, Dunshee, Ogden, Pennington, Van Luven, Doumit, Veloria, Dickerson, Fromhold, Anderson and Edwards
Read first time 01/31/2001. Referred to Committee on Finance.
AN ACT Relating to the business and occupation tax deduction for health or social welfare services as applied to government-funded health benefits paid through managed care organizations; amending RCW 82.04.4297; creating new sections; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the deduction under the business and occupation tax statutes for compensation from public entities for health or social welfare services was intended to provide government with greater purchasing power when government provides financial support for the provision of health or social welfare services to benefited classes of persons. The legislature also finds that both the legislature and the United States congress have in recent years modified government-funded health care programs to encourage participation by beneficiaries in highly regulated managed care programs operated by persons who act as intermediaries between government entities and health or social welfare organizations. The legislature further finds that the objective of these changes is again to extend the purchasing power of scarce government health care resources, but that this objective would be thwarted to a significant degree if the business and occupation tax deduction were lost by health or social welfare organizations solely on account of their participation in managed care for government-funded health programs. In keeping with the original purpose of the health or social welfare deduction, it is desirable to ensure that compensation received from government sources through contractual managed care programs also be deductible.
Sec. 2. RCW 82.04.4297 and 1988 c 67 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
In computing tax there may be deducted from the measure of tax amounts received from the United States or any instrumentality thereof or from the state of Washington or any municipal corporation or political subdivision thereof as compensation for, or to support, health or social welfare services rendered by a health or social welfare organization or by a municipal corporation or political subdivision, except deductions are not allowed under this section for amounts that are received under an employee benefit plan. For purposes of this section, "amounts received from" includes amounts received by a health or social welfare organization that is a nonprofit hospital, public hospital from a managed care organization, or other entity that is under contract to manage health care benefits for the federal medicare program authorized under Title XVIII of the federal social security act; for a medical assistance, children's health, or other program authorized under chapter 74.09 RCW; or for the state of Washington basic health plan authorized under chapter 70.47 RCW, to the extent that these amounts are received as compensation for health care services within the scope of benefits covered by the pertinent government health care program.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. This act applies to taxes collected after the effective date of this act, including taxes collected on reporting periods prior to the effective date of this act.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.
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