| HB 3079-S.E - DIGEST |
| (DIGEST AS ENACTED) |
Requires the health care authority, in coordination with the department of social and health services, to by November 15th of each year report to the legislature: (1) The number of basic health plan enrollees who: (a) Upon enrollment or recertification had reported being employed, and beginning with the 2008 report, the month and year they reported being hired; or (b) upon enrollment or recertification had reported being the dependent of someone who was employed, and beginning with the 2008 report, the month and year they reported the employed person was hired; and (c) the total cost to the state for these enrollees. The information shall be reported by employer for employers having more than fifty employees as enrollees or with dependents as enrollees. This information shall be provided for the preceding January and June of that year. |
Requires the department of social and health services, in coordination with the health care authority, to by November 15th of each year report to the legislature: (1) The number of medical assistance recipients who: (a) Upon enrollment or recertification had reported being employed, and beginning with the 2008 report, the month and year they reported being hired; or (b) upon enrollment or recertification had reported being the dependent of someone who was employed, and beginning with the 2008 report, the month and year they reported the employed person was hired. For recipients identified under this act, the department shall report the basis for their medical assistance eligibility, including but not limited to family medical coverage, transitional medical assistance, children's medical or aged or disabled coverage; member months; and the total cost to the state for these recipients, expressed as general fund-state, health services account and general fund-federal dollars. The information shall be reported by employer for employers having more than fifty employees as recipients or with dependents as recipients. This information shall be provided for the preceding January and June of that year. |
| VETO MESSAGE ON ESHB 3079 |
| March 27, 2006 |
| To the Honorable Speaker and Members, |
| The House of Representatives of the State of Washington |
| Ladies and Gentlemen: |
| I am returning, without my approval as to Section 3, Engrossed Substitute House Bill No. 3079 entitled: |
"AN ACT Relating to health care services." |
| I support ESHB 3079, an act providing information about our Basic Health Plan and Medical Assistance programs. I am, however, vetoing section 3 of this act, which includes an unnecessary null and void clause. |
| In signing ESHB 3079, I express a cautionary note as to the interpretation of the reports that it requires to be developed. The employer information to be provided by the Health Care Authority (HCA) and the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) is not a requirement for enrollment or eligibility. Consequently, data contained in the reports will have been provided on a voluntary basis, and will be unverified. The two reports - an employer-specific report and an aggregated report - will originate from separate sources. Therefore, they will not be comparable. The reports will also be based on a point-in-time data collection and will therefore not reflect changes in employment status. These data limitations must be considered when interpreting the reports. |
| It is equally important to note that the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) study due in July 2006 will report Basic Health employment status and employer information in more detail than the aggregated report required by this bill. |
| It is my hope that the information collected and provided to the Legislature in accordance with ESHB 3079 will not be misconstrued to portray beneficiaries of our Basic Health and Medicaid programs in a negative light. These programs are designed to provide health care services to eligible, often working, enrollees. I am confident that they are meeting that intent. |
| For these reasons, I have vetoed Section 3 of Engrossed Substitute House Bill No. 3079. |
| With the exception of Section 3, Engrossed Substitute House Bill No. 3079 is approved. |
| Respectfully submitted, |
| Christine O. Gregoire |
| Governor |