| Passed by the Senate February 12, 2014 YEAS 46 BRAD OWEN ________________________________________ President of the Senate Passed by the House March 5, 2014 YEAS 93 FRANK CHOPP ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives | I, Hunter G. Goodman, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SENATE BILL 5931 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth. HUNTER G. GOODMAN ________________________________________ Secretary | |
| Approved March 17, 2014, 3:18 p.m. JAY INSLEE ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | March 17, 2014 Secretary of State State of Washington |
| State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2013 1st Special Session |
Read first time 05/13/13. Referred to Committee on Health Care .
AN ACT Relating to carriers operating outside of the exchange but only relating to requiring that carriers offering health benefit plans that meet the definition of bronze level in the individual or small group market must also offer silver and gold level plans as specified in section 1302 of P.L. 111-148 of 2010 and that nongrandfathered individual and small group health plans must conform with the actuarial value tiers specified in section 1302 of P.L. 111-148 of 2010; and amending RCW 48.43.700 and 48.43.705.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 48.43.700 and 2012 c 87 s 6 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) For plan or policy years beginning January 1, 2014, a carrier
((must offer individual or small group health benefit plans that meet
the definition of silver and gold level plans in section 1302 of P.L.
111-148 of 2010, as amended, in any market outside the exchange in
which it offers a plan that meets the definition of bronze level in
section 1302 of P.L. 111-148 of 2010, as amended)) offering a health
benefit plan that meets the definition of bronze level in section 1302
of P.L. 111-148 of 2010, as amended, in the individual market outside
of the exchange must also offer plans that meet the definition of
silver and gold level plans in section 1302 of P.L. 111-148 of 2010, as
amended, in the individual market outside of the exchange.
(2) For plan or policy years beginning January 1, 2014, a carrier
offering a health benefit plan that meets the definition of bronze
level in section 1302 of P.L. 111-148 of 2010, as amended, in the small
group market outside of the exchange must also offer plans that meet
the definition of silver and gold level plans in section 1302 of P.L.
111-148 of 2010, as amended, in the small group market outside of the
exchange.
(3) A health benefit plan meeting the definition of a catastrophic
plan in RCW 48.43.005(8)(c)(i) may only be sold through the exchange.
(((3))) (4) By December 1, 2016, the exchange board, in
consultation with the commissioner, must complete a review of the
impact of this section on the health and viability of the markets
inside and outside the exchange and submit the recommendations to the
legislature on whether to maintain the market rules or let them expire.
(((4))) (5) The commissioner shall evaluate plans offered at each
actuarial value defined in section 1302 of P.L. 111-148 of 2010, as
amended, and determine whether variation in prescription drug benefit
cost-sharing, both inside and outside the exchange in both the
individual and small group markets results in adverse selection. If
so, the commissioner may adopt rules to assure substantial equivalence
of prescription drug cost-sharing.
Sec. 2 RCW 48.43.705 and 2012 c 87 s 7 are each amended to read
as follows:
All nongrandfathered individual and small group health plans, other
than catastrophic health plans, offered outside of the exchange must
conform with the actuarial value tiers specified in section 1302 of
P.L. 111-148 of 2010, as amended, as bronze, silver, gold, or platinum.