| Passed by the House March 8, 2007 Yeas 83 FRANK CHOPP ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate March 31, 2007 Yeas 47 BRAD OWEN ________________________________________ President of the Senate | I, Richard Nafziger, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1337 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. RICHARD NAFZIGER ________________________________________ Chief Clerk | |
| Approved April 10, 2007, 11:21 a.m. CHRISTINE GREGOIRE ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | April 10, 2007 Secretary of State State of Washington |
| State of Washington | 60th Legislature | 2007 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/26/07.
AN ACT Relating to insurance coverage for colorectal cancer early detection; 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) Health plans issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2008, must
provide benefits or coverage for colorectal cancer examinations and
laboratory tests consistent with the guidelines or recommendations of
the United States preventive services task force or the federal centers
for disease control and prevention. Benefits or coverage must be
provided:
(a) For any of the colorectal screening examinations and tests in
the selected guidelines or recommendations, at a frequency identified
in such guidelines or recommendations, as deemed appropriate by the
patient's physician after consultation with the patient; and
(b) To a covered individual who is:
(i) At least fifty years old; or
(ii) Less than fifty years old and at high risk or very high risk
for colorectal cancer according to such guidelines or recommendations.
(2) To encourage colorectal cancer screenings, patients and health
care providers must not be required to meet burdensome criteria or
overcome significant obstacles to secure such coverage. An individual
may not be required to pay an additional deductible or coinsurance for
testing that is greater than an annual deductible or coinsurance
established for similar benefits. If the health plan does not cover a
similar benefit, a deductible or coinsurance may not be set at a level
that materially diminishes the value of the colorectal cancer benefit
required.
(3)(a) A health carrier is not required under this section to
provide for a referral to a nonparticipating health care provider,
unless the carrier does not have an appropriate health care provider
that is available and accessible to administer the screening exam and
that is a participating health care provider with respect to such
treatment.
(b) If a health carrier refers an individual to a nonparticipating
health care provider pursuant to this section, screening exam services
or resulting treatment, if any, must be provided at no additional cost
to the individual beyond what the individual would otherwise pay for
services provided by a participating health care provider.