Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Postsecondary Education & Workforce Committee
HB 1298
Brief Description: Concerning student athlete insurance.
Sponsors: Representatives Berg, Reed, Wylie, Fosse, Ryu, Callan, Street, Morgan, Simmons, Leavitt, Salahuddin, Macri, Nance, Donaghy, Doglio, Timmons and Scott.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Allows a governing board of a public four-year institution of higher education to make available, and pay the costs of, insurance for current, and some former, intercollegiate student athletes.
Hearing Date: 1/22/25
Staff: Saranda Ross (786-7068).
Background:

Health Insurance Offered by Institutions of Higher Education.

The governing boards of the state's institutions of higher education may make available certain types of insurance for regents or trustees and students of the institution, including life, health, health care, accident, disability, and salary protection.  The insurance premiums are borne by the regents or trustees and students, with exceptions for employee liability insurance and, optionally, graduate service appointments and students participating in studies or research outside of the United States.

 

Public institutions of higher education may also assess special fees for enrolled students to pay in addition to tuition, including health services fees. These fees are used to permit students to access various physical and mental health services.

 

National Collegiate Athletics Association Student Athlete Medical Cost Requirement.

The National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) requires member institutions to verify that student athletes have insurance coverage for athletically related injuries.  This insurance coverage must be of equal or greater value than the deductible of the NCAA Catastrophic Injury Insurance Program, which is currently $90,000, and may be provided through parents’ or guardians’ insurance coverage, a students’ personal insurance coverage, or the institution’s insurance program.

 

For student athletes at Division I schools, plus student-athletes at Division II or III schools participating in a Division I sport, the NCAA’s Core Guarantees requires institutions to cover medical costs for an athletically related injury for at least two years after either graduation or separation from the institution, or until the student athlete qualifies for coverage under the Catastrophic Injury Insurance Program, whichever occurs first.
Summary of Bill:

A governing board of a public four-year institution of higher education may make available, and pay the cost of, insurance for intercollegiate student athletes.  Such insurance may cover student athletes currently enrolled at the institution and may also cover former student athletes if the institution's athletic associate determines by rule that such former student athletes are entitled to a period of posteligibility health care to address athletics-related injuries and conditions.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 17, 2025.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.