Source: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/supdefault.aspx?cite=41.05&full=true
Timestamp: 2018-06-23 04:40:44
Document Index: 775862975

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 306', '§ 22', '§ 54', '§ 3', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 604', '§ 3', '§ 706', '§ 21', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 214', '§ 5', '§ 2', '§ 3', '§ 1', '§ 8', '§ 2', '§ 5', '§ 2', '§ 6', '§ 1', '§ 16', '§ 3', '§ 1', '§ 7', '§ 10', '§ 5', '§ 2', '§ 920', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 3', '§ 1', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 218', '§ 9', '§ 8', '§ 4', '§ 4', '§ 9', '§ 1', '§ 3', '§ 5', '§ 1', '§ 9', '§ 6', '§ 3', '§ 22', '§ 7', '§ 11', '§ 6', '§ 6', '§ 7', '§ 8', '§ 3', '§ 6', '§ 11', '§ 18', '§ 18', '§ 72', '§ 7', '§ 2', '§ 7', '§ 1', '§ 222', '§ 2', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 7', '§ 2', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 2']

Chapter 41.05 RCW: STATE HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY
RCW Supplement > Title 41 > Chapter 41.05
Chapter 41.05 RCW
STATE HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY
41.05.009
Determination of employee eligibility for benefits.
41.05.011
41.05.065
Public employees' benefits board—Duties—Eligibility—Definitions—Penalties.
41.05.066
41.05.074
Public employees—Prior authorization standards and criteria—Health plan requirements—Definitions. (Effective January 1, 2017.)
41.05.080
Participation in insurance plans and contracts—Retired, disabled, or separated employees—Certain surviving spouses, state registered domestic partners, and dependent children.
41.05.095
Coverage for dependents under the age of twenty-six.
41.05.195
Medicare supplemental insurance policies.
41.05.533
Medication synchronization policy required for health benefit plans covering prescription drugs—Requirements—Definitions.
41.05.550
Prescription drug assistance foundation—Nonprofit and tax-exempt corporation—Definitions—Liability.
41.05.700
Reimbursement of health care services provided through telemedicine or store and forward technology. (Effective January 1, 2017.)
41.05.730
Ground emergency medical transportation services—Medicaid reimbursement—Calculation—Federal approval—Department's duties.
41.05.735
Ground emergency medical transportation services—Medicaid reimbursement—Intergovernmental transfer program—Federal approval—Authority's duties.
(1) The authority, or an employing agency at the authority's direction, shall initially determine and periodically review whether an employee is eligible for benefits pursuant to the criteria established under this chapter.
(2) An employing agency shall inform an employee in writing whether or not he or she is eligible for benefits when initially determined and upon any subsequent change, including notice of the employee's right to an appeal.
[2015 c 116 § 1; 2009 c 537 § 2.]
(3) "Dependent care assistance program" means a benefit plan whereby state and public employees may pay for certain employment related dependent care with pretax dollars as provided in the salary reduction plan under this chapter pursuant to 26 U.S.C. Sec. 129 or other sections of the internal revenue code.
(6) "Employee" includes all employees of the state, whether or not covered by civil service; elected and appointed officials of the executive branch of government, including full-time members of boards, commissions, or committees; justices of the supreme court and judges of the court of appeals and the superior courts; and members of the state legislature. Pursuant to contractual agreement with the authority, "employee" may also include: (a) Employees of a county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state and members of the legislative authority of any county, city, or town who are elected to office after February 20, 1970, if the legislative authority of the county, municipality, or other political subdivision of the state seeks and receives the approval of the authority to provide any of its insurance programs by contract with the authority, as provided in RCW 41.04.205 and 41.05.021(1)(g); (b) employees of employee organizations representing state civil service employees, at the option of each such employee organization, and, effective October 1, 1995, employees of employee organizations currently pooled with employees of school districts for the purpose of purchasing insurance benefits, at the option of each such employee organization; (c) employees of a school district if the authority agrees to provide any of the school districts' insurance programs by contract with the authority as provided in RCW 28A.400.350; (d) employees of a tribal government, if the governing body of the tribal government seeks and receives the approval of the authority to provide any of its insurance programs by contract with the authority, as provided in RCW 41.05.021(1) (f) and (g); (e) employees of the Washington health benefit exchange if the governing board of the exchange established in RCW 43.71.020 seeks and receives approval of the authority to provide any of its insurance programs by contract with the authority, as provided in RCW 41.05.021(1) (g) and (n); and (f) employees of a charter school established under chapter 28A.710 RCW. "Employee" does not include: Adult family home providers; unpaid volunteers; patients of state hospitals; inmates; employees of the Washington state convention and trade center as provided in RCW 41.05.110; students of institutions of higher education as determined by their institution; and any others not expressly defined as employees under this chapter or by the authority under this chapter.
(7) "Employer" means the state of Washington.
(8) "Employer group" means those counties, municipalities, political subdivisions, the Washington health benefit exchange, tribal governments, school districts, and educational service districts, and employee organizations representing state civil service employees, obtaining employee benefits through a contractual agreement with the authority.
(9) "Employing agency" means a division, department, or separate agency of state government, including an institution of higher education; a county, municipality, school district, educational service district, or other political subdivision; charter school; and a tribal government covered by this chapter.
(10) "Faculty" means an academic employee of an institution of higher education whose workload is not defined by work hours but whose appointment, workload, and duties directly serve the institution's academic mission, as determined under the authority of its enabling statutes, its governing body, and any applicable collective bargaining agreement.
(11) "Flexible benefit plan" means a benefit plan that allows employees to choose the level of health care coverage provided and the amount of employee contributions from among a range of choices offered by the authority.
(12) "Insuring entity" means an insurer as defined in chapter 48.01 RCW, a health care service contractor as defined in chapter 48.44 RCW, or a health maintenance organization as defined in chapter 48.46 RCW.
(13) "Medical flexible spending arrangement" means a benefit plan whereby state and public employees may reduce their salary before taxes to pay for medical expenses not reimbursed by insurance as provided in the salary reduction plan under this chapter pursuant to 26 U.S.C. Sec. 125 or other sections of the internal revenue code.
(14) "Participant" means an individual who fulfills the eligibility and enrollment requirements under the salary reduction plan.
(15) "Plan year" means the time period established by the authority.
(16) "Premium payment plan" means a benefit plan whereby state and public employees may pay their share of group health plan premiums with pretax dollars as provided in the salary reduction plan under this chapter pursuant to 26 U.S.C. Sec. 125 or other sections of the internal revenue code.
(17) "Retired or disabled school employee" means:
(18) "Salary" means a state employee's monthly salary or wages.
(19) "Salary reduction plan" means a benefit plan whereby state and public employees may agree to a reduction of salary on a pretax basis to participate in the dependent care assistance program, medical flexible spending arrangement, or premium payment plan offered pursuant to 26 U.S.C. Sec. 125 or other sections of the internal revenue code.
(20) "Seasonal employee" means an employee hired to work during a recurring, annual season with a duration of three months or more, and anticipated to return each season to perform similar work.
(21) "Separated employees" means persons who separate from employment with an employer as defined in:
(22) "State purchased health care" or "health care" means medical and health care, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment purchased with state and federal funds by the department of social and health services, the department of health, the basic health plan, the state health care authority, the department of labor and industries, the department of corrections, the department of veterans affairs, and local school districts.
(23) "Tribal government" means an Indian tribal government as defined in section 3(32) of the employee retirement income security act of 1974, as amended, or an agency or instrumentality of the tribal government, that has government offices principally located in this state.
[2015 c 116 § 2; 2013 c 2 § 306 (Initiative Measure No. 1240, approved November 6, 2012); 2012 c 87 § 22. Prior: 2011 1st sp.s. c 15 § 54; 2009 c 537 § 3; 2008 c 229 § 2; prior: 2007 c 488 § 2; 2007 c 114 § 2; 2005 c 143 § 1; 2001 c 165 § 2; prior: 2000 c 247 § 604; 2000 c 230 § 3; 1998 c 341 § 706; 1996 c 39 § 21; 1995 1st sp.s. c 6 § 2; 1994 c 153 § 2; prior: 1993 c 492 § 214; 1993 c 386 § 5; 1990 c 222 § 2; 1988 c 107 § 3.]
Intent—2007 c 114: "Consistent with the centennial accord, the new millennium agreement, related treaties, and federal and state law, it is the intent of the legislature to authorize tribal governments to participate in public employees' benefits board programs to the same extent that counties, municipalities, and other political subdivisions of the state are authorized to do so." [2007 c 114 § 1.]
Effective date—2007 c 114: "This act takes effect January 1, 2009." [2007 c 114 § 8.]
Effective date—2001 c 165 § 2: "Section 2 of this act takes effect March 1, 2002." [2001 c 165 § 5.]
Effective date—Application—2001 c 165: "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 except for section 2 of this act takes effect immediately [May 7, 2001]. This act applies to all surviving spouses and dependent children of (1) emergency service personnel and (2) members of the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system plan 2, killed in the line of duty." [2006 c 345 § 2; 2001 c 165 § 6.]
Intent—1994 c 153: "It is the intent of the legislature to increase access to health insurance for retired and disabled state and school district employees and to increase equity between state and school employees and between state and school retirees." [1994 c 153 § 1.]
Effective dates—1994 c 153: "This act shall take effect January 1, 1995, except section 15 of this act, which takes effect October 1, 1995." [1994 c 153 § 16.]
Short title—Severability—Savings—Captions not law—Reservation of legislative power—Effective dates—1993 c 492: See RCW 43.72.910 through 43.72.915.
(1) The board shall study all matters connected with the provision of health care coverage, life insurance, liability insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, and disability income insurance or any of, or a combination of, the enumerated types of insurance for employees and their dependents on the best basis possible with relation both to the welfare of the employees and to the state. However, liability insurance shall not be made available to dependents.
(2) The board shall develop employee benefit plans that include comprehensive health care benefits for employees. In developing these plans, the board shall consider the following elements:
(a) Methods of maximizing cost containment while ensuring access to quality health care;
(b) Development of provider arrangements that encourage cost containment and ensure access to quality care, including but not limited to prepaid delivery systems and prospective payment methods;
(c) Wellness incentives that focus on proven strategies, such as smoking cessation, injury and accident prevention, reduction of alcohol misuse, appropriate weight reduction, exercise, automobile and motorcycle safety, blood cholesterol reduction, and nutrition education;
(d) Utilization review procedures including, but not limited to a cost-efficient method for prior authorization of services, hospital inpatient length of stay review, requirements for use of outpatient surgeries and second opinions for surgeries, review of invoices or claims submitted by service providers, and performance audit of providers;
(e) Effective coordination of benefits; and
(f) Minimum standards for insuring entities.
(3) To maintain the comprehensive nature of employee health care benefits, benefits provided to employees shall be substantially equivalent to the state employees' health benefits plan in effect on January 1, 1993. Nothing in this subsection shall prohibit changes or increases in employee point-of-service payments or employee premium payments for benefits or the administration of a high deductible health plan in conjunction with a health savings account. The board may establish employee eligibility criteria which are not substantially equivalent to employee eligibility criteria in effect on January 1, 1993.
(4) Except if bargained for under chapter 41.80 RCW, the board shall design benefits and determine the terms and conditions of employee and retired employee participation and coverage, including establishment of eligibility criteria subject to the requirements of this chapter. Employer groups obtaining benefits through contractual agreement with the authority for employees defined in RCW 41.05.011(6) (a) through (d) may contractually agree with the authority to benefits eligibility criteria which differs from that determined by the board. The eligibility criteria established by the board shall be no more restrictive than the following:
(a) Except as provided in (b) through (e) of this subsection, an employee is eligible for benefits from the date of employment if the employing agency anticipates he or she will work an average of at least eighty hours per month and for at least eight hours in each month for more than six consecutive months. An employee determined ineligible for benefits at the beginning of his or her employment shall become eligible in the following circumstances:
(i) An employee who works an average of at least eighty hours per month and for at least eight hours in each month and whose anticipated duration of employment is revised from less than or equal to six consecutive months to more than six consecutive months becomes eligible when the revision is made.
(ii) An employee who works an average of at least eighty hours per month over a period of six consecutive months and for at least eight hours in each of those six consecutive months becomes eligible at the first of the month following the six-month averaging period.
(b) A seasonal employee is eligible for benefits from the date of employment if the employing agency anticipates that he or she will work an average of at least eighty hours per month and for at least eight hours in each month of the season. A seasonal employee determined ineligible at the beginning of his or her employment who works an average of at least eighty hours per month over a period of six consecutive months and at least eight hours in each of those six consecutive months becomes eligible at the first of the month following the six-month averaging period. A benefits-eligible seasonal employee who works a season of less than nine months shall not be eligible for the employer contribution during the off season, but may continue enrollment in benefits during the off season by self-paying for the benefits. A benefits-eligible seasonal employee who works a season of nine months or more is eligible for the employer contribution through the off season following each season worked.
(c) Faculty are eligible as follows:
(i) Faculty who the employing agency anticipates will work half–time or more for the entire instructional year or equivalent nine-month period are eligible for benefits from the date of employment. Eligibility shall continue until the beginning of the first full month of the next instructional year, unless the employment relationship is terminated, in which case eligibility shall cease the first month following the notice of termination or the effective date of the termination, whichever is later.
(ii) Faculty who the employing agency anticipates will not work for the entire instructional year or equivalent nine-month period are eligible for benefits at the beginning of the second consecutive quarter or semester of employment in which he or she is anticipated to work, or has actually worked, half-time or more. Such an employee shall continue to receive uninterrupted employer contributions for benefits if the employee works at least half-time in a quarter or semester. Faculty who the employing agency anticipates will not work for the entire instructional year or equivalent nine-month period, but who actually work half-time or more throughout the entire instructional year, are eligible for summer or off-quarter or off-semester coverage. Faculty who have met the criteria of this subsection (4)(c)(ii), who work at least two quarters or two semesters of the academic year with an average academic year workload of half-time or more for three quarters or two semesters of the academic year, and who have worked an average of half-time or more in each of the two preceding academic years shall continue to receive uninterrupted employer contributions for benefits if he or she works at least half-time in a quarter or semester or works two quarters or two semesters of the academic year with an average academic workload each academic year of half-time or more for three quarters or two semesters. Eligibility under this section ceases immediately if this criteria is not met.
(iii) Faculty may establish or maintain eligibility for benefits by working for more than one institution of higher education. When faculty work for more than one institution of higher education, those institutions shall prorate the employer contribution costs, or if eligibility is reached through one institution, that institution will pay the full employer contribution. Faculty working for more than one institution must alert his or her employers to his or her potential eligibility in order to establish eligibility.
(iv) The employing agency must provide written notice to faculty who are potentially eligible for benefits under this subsection (4)(c) of their potential eligibility.
(v) To be eligible for maintenance of benefits through averaging under (c)(ii) of this subsection, faculty must provide written notification to his or her employing agency or agencies of his or her potential eligibility.
(vi) For the purposes of this subsection (4)(c):
(A) "Academic year" means summer, fall, winter, and spring quarters or summer, fall, and spring semesters;
(B) "Half-time" means one-half of the full-time academic workload as determined by each institution; except that for community and technical college faculty, half-time academic workload is calculated according to RCW 28B.50.489.
(d) A legislator is eligible for benefits on the date his or her term begins. All other elected and full-time appointed officials of the legislative and executive branches of state government are eligible for benefits on the date his or her term begins or they take the oath of office, whichever occurs first.
(e) A justice of the supreme court and judges of the court of appeals and the superior courts become eligible for benefits on the date he or she takes the oath of office.
(f) Except as provided in (c)(i) and (ii) of this subsection, eligibility ceases for any employee the first of the month following termination of the employment relationship.
(g) In determining eligibility under this section, the employing agency may disregard training hours, standby hours, or temporary changes in work hours as determined by the authority under this section.
(h) Insurance coverage for all eligible employees begins on the first day of the month following the date when eligibility for benefits is established. If the date eligibility is established is the first working day of a month, insurance coverage begins on that date.
(i) Eligibility for an employee whose work circumstances are described by more than one of the eligibility categories in (a) through (e) of this subsection shall be determined solely by the criteria of the category that most closely describes the employee's work circumstances.
(j) Except for an employee eligible for benefits under (b) or (c)(ii) of this subsection, an employee who has established eligibility for benefits under this section shall remain eligible for benefits each month in which he or she is in pay status for eight or more hours, if (i) he or she remains in a benefits-eligible position and (ii) leave from the benefits-eligible position is approved by the employing agency. A benefits-eligible seasonal employee is eligible for the employer contribution in any month of his or her season in which he or she is in pay status eight or more hours during that month. Eligibility ends if these conditions are not met, the employment relationship is terminated, or the employee voluntarily transfers to a noneligible position.
(k) For the purposes of this subsection, the board shall define "benefits-eligible position."
(5) The board may authorize premium contributions for an employee and the employee's dependents in a manner that encourages the use of cost-efficient managed health care systems.
(6)(a) For any open enrollment period following August 24, 2011, the board shall offer a health savings account option for employees that conforms to section 223, Part VII of subchapter B of chapter 1 of the internal revenue code of 1986. The board shall comply with all applicable federal standards related to the establishment of health savings accounts.
(b) By November 30, 2015, and each year thereafter, the authority shall submit a report to the relevant legislative policy and fiscal committees that includes the following:
(i) Public employees' benefits board health plan cost and service utilization trends for the previous three years, in total and for each health plan offered to employees;
(ii) For each health plan offered to employees, the number and percentage of employees and dependents enrolled in the plan, and the age and gender demographics of enrollees in each plan;
(iii) Any impact of enrollment in alternatives to the most comprehensive plan, including the high deductible health plan with a health savings account, upon the cost of health benefits for those employees who have chosen to remain enrolled in the most comprehensive plan.
(7) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, for any open enrollment period following August 24, 2011, the board shall offer a high deductible health plan in conjunction with a health savings account developed under subsection (6) of this section.
(8) Employees shall choose participation in one of the health care benefit plans developed by the board and may be permitted to waive coverage under terms and conditions established by the board.
(9) The board shall review plans proposed by insuring entities that desire to offer property insurance and/or accident and casualty insurance to state employees through payroll deduction. The board may approve any such plan for payroll deduction by insuring entities holding a valid certificate of authority in the state of Washington and which the board determines to be in the best interests of employees and the state. The board shall adopt rules setting forth criteria by which it shall evaluate the plans.
(10) Before January 1, 1998, the public employees' benefits board shall make available one or more fully insured long-term care insurance plans that comply with the requirements of chapter 48.84 RCW. Such programs shall be made available to eligible employees, retired employees, and retired school employees as well as eligible dependents which, for the purpose of this section, includes the parents of the employee or retiree and the parents of the spouse of the employee or retiree. Employees of local governments, political subdivisions, and tribal governments not otherwise enrolled in the public employees' benefits board sponsored medical programs may enroll under terms and conditions established by the administrator, if it does not jeopardize the financial viability of the public employees' benefits board's long-term care offering.
(a) Participation of eligible employees or retired employees and retired school employees in any long-term care insurance plan made available by the public employees' benefits board is voluntary and shall not be subject to binding arbitration under chapter 41.56 RCW. Participation is subject to reasonable underwriting guidelines and eligibility rules established by the public employees' benefits board and the health care authority.
(b) The employee, retired employee, and retired school employee are solely responsible for the payment of the premium rates developed by the health care authority. The health care authority is authorized to charge a reasonable administrative fee in addition to the premium charged by the long-term care insurer, which shall include the health care authority's cost of administration, marketing, and consumer education materials prepared by the health care authority and the office of the insurance commissioner.
(c) To the extent administratively possible, the state shall establish an automatic payroll or pension deduction system for the payment of the long-term care insurance premiums.
(d) The public employees' benefits board and the health care authority shall establish a technical advisory committee to provide advice in the development of the benefit design and establishment of underwriting guidelines and eligibility rules. The committee shall also advise the board and authority on effective and cost-effective ways to market and distribute the long-term care product. The technical advisory committee shall be comprised, at a minimum, of representatives of the office of the insurance commissioner, providers of long-term care services, licensed insurance agents with expertise in long-term care insurance, employees, retired employees, retired school employees, and other interested parties determined to be appropriate by the board.
(e) The health care authority shall offer employees, retired employees, and retired school employees the option of purchasing long-term care insurance through licensed agents or brokers appointed by the long-term care insurer. The authority, in consultation with the public employees' benefits board, shall establish marketing procedures and may consider all premium components as a part of the contract negotiations with the long-term care insurer.
(f) In developing the long-term care insurance benefit designs, the public employees' benefits board shall include an alternative plan of care benefit, including adult day services, as approved by the office of the insurance commissioner.
(g) The health care authority, with the cooperation of the office of the insurance commissioner, shall develop a consumer education program for the eligible employees, retired employees, and retired school employees designed to provide education on the potential need for long-term care, methods of financing long-term care, and the availability of long-term care insurance products including the products offered by the board.
(11) The board may establish penalties to be imposed by the authority when the eligibility determinations of an employing agency fail to comply with the criteria under this chapter.
[2015 c 116 § 3; 2011 1st sp.s. c 8 § 1; 2009 c 537 § 7. Prior: 2007 c 156 § 10; 2007 c 114 § 5; 2006 c 299 § 2; prior: 2005 c 518 § 920; 2005 c 195 § 1; 2003 c 158 § 2; 2002 c 142 § 3; 1996 c 140 § 1; 1995 1st sp.s. c 6 § 5; 1994 c 153 § 5; prior: 1993 c 492 § 218; 1993 c 386 § 9; 1988 c 107 § 8.]
Intent—Effective date—2007 c 114: See notes following RCW 41.05.011.
Effective date—2005 c 195: "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 July 1, 2005." [2005 c 195 § 4.]
Intent—Effective dates—1994 c 153: See notes following RCW 41.05.011.
A certificate of domestic partnership qualified under the provisions of RCW 26.60.030 shall be recognized as evidence of a qualified domestic partnership fulfilling all necessary eligibility criteria for the partner of the employee to receive benefits. Nothing in this section affects the requirements of domestic partners to complete documentation related to federal tax status that may currently be required by the board for employees choosing to make premium payments on a pretax basis.
[2015 c 116 § 4; 2007 c 156 § 9.]
(1) A health plan offered to public employees and their covered dependents under this chapter that imposes different prior authorization standards and criteria for a covered service among tiers of contracting providers of the same licensed profession in the same health plan shall inform an enrollee which tier an individual provider or group of providers is in by posting the information on its web site in a manner accessible to both enrollees and providers.
(2) The health plan may not require prior authorization for an evaluation and management visit or an initial treatment visit with a contracting provider in a new episode of chiropractic, physical therapy, occupational therapy, East Asian medicine, massage therapy, or speech and hearing therapies. Notwithstanding RCW 48.43.515(5) this section may not be interpreted to limit the ability of a health plan to require a referral or prescription for the therapies listed in this section.
(3) The health care authority shall post on its web site and provide upon the request of a covered person or contracting provider any prior authorization standards, criteria, or information the health plan uses for medical necessity decisions.
(4) A health care provider with whom the administrator of the health plan consults regarding a decision to deny, limit, or terminate a person's covered health care services must hold a license, certification, or registration, in good standing and must be in the same or related health field as the health care provider being reviewed or of a specialty whose practice entails the same or similar covered health care service.
(5) The health plan may not require a provider to provide a discount from usual and customary rates for health care services not covered under the health plan, policy, or other agreement, to which the provider is a party.
(a) "New episode of care" means treatment for a new or recurrent condition for which the enrollee has not been treated by the provider within the previous ninety days and is not currently undergoing any active treatment.
(b) "Contracting provider" does not include providers employed within an integrated delivery system operated by a carrier licensed under chapter 48.44 or 48.46 RCW.
[2015 c 251 § 1.]
Effective date—2015 c 251: "This act takes effect January 1, 2017." [2015 c 251 § 3.]
(1) Under the qualifications, terms, conditions, and benefits set by the board:
(a) Retired or disabled state employees, retired or disabled school employees, retired or disabled employees of county, municipal, or other political subdivisions, or retired or disabled employees of tribal governments covered by this chapter may continue their participation in insurance plans and contracts after retirement or disablement;
(b) Separated employees may continue their participation in insurance plans and contracts if participation is selected immediately upon separation from employment;
(c) Surviving spouses, surviving state registered domestic partners, and dependent children of emergency service personnel killed in the line of duty may participate in insurance plans and contracts.
(2) Rates charged surviving spouses and surviving state registered domestic partners of emergency service personnel killed in the line of duty, retired or disabled employees, separated employees, spouses, or dependent children who are not eligible for parts A and B of medicare shall be based on the experience of the community rated risk pool established under RCW 41.05.022.
(3) Rates charged to surviving spouses and surviving state registered domestic partners of emergency service personnel killed in the line of duty, retired or disabled employees, separated employees, spouses, or children who are eligible for parts A and B of medicare shall be calculated from a separate experience risk pool comprised only of individuals eligible for parts A and B of medicare; however, the premiums charged to medicare-eligible retirees and disabled employees shall be reduced by the amount of the subsidy provided under RCW 41.05.085.
(4) Surviving spouses, surviving state registered domestic partners, and dependent children of emergency service personnel killed in the line of duty and retired or disabled and separated employees shall be responsible for payment of premium rates developed by the authority which shall include the cost to the authority of providing insurance coverage including any amounts necessary for reserves and administration in accordance with this chapter. These self pay rates will be established based on a separate rate for the employee, the spouse, state registered domestic partners, and the children.
(5) The term "retired state employees" for the purpose of this section shall include but not be limited to members of the legislature whether voluntarily or involuntarily leaving state office.
[2015 c 116 § 5. Prior: 2009 c 523 § 1; 2009 c 522 § 9; 2007 c 114 § 6; 2001 c 165 § 3; 1996 c 39 § 22; 1994 c 153 § 7; 1993 c 386 § 11; 1977 ex.s. c 136 § 6; 1975-'76 2nd ex.s. c 106 § 6; 1973 1st ex.s. c 147 § 7; 1970 ex.s. c 39 § 8.]
Effective date—Application—2001 c 165: See note following RCW 41.05.011.
Effective date—1993 c 386 §§ 3, 7, and 11: See note following RCW 41.04.205.
Effective date—Conditions prerequisite to implementing sections—1977 ex.s. c 136: See note following RCW 41.05.050.
Effective date—Effect of veto—Savings—Severability—1973 1st ex.s. c 147: See notes following RCW 41.05.050.
Severability—1970 ex.s. c 39: See note following RCW 41.05.050.
(1) Any plan offered to employees under this chapter must offer each employee the option of covering any dependent of the employee under the age of twenty-six.
(2) Coverage must terminate upon attainment of age twenty-six except in the case of a child who is and continues to be both (a) incapable of self-sustaining employment by reason of a developmental disability or physical handicap and (b) chiefly dependent upon the employee for support and maintenance, provided proof of such incapacity and dependency is furnished by the employee within sixty days of the child's attainment of age twenty-six and subsequently as may be required by the authority, but not more frequently than annually after the two-year period following the child's attainment of age twenty-six.
[2015 c 116 § 6; 2010 c 94 § 11; 2007 c 259 § 18.]
Effective date—2007 c 259 §§ 18-22: "Sections 18 through 22 of this act take effect January 1, 2009." [2007 c 259 § 72.]
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter or rules or procedures adopted by the authority, the authority shall make available to retired or disabled employees who are enrolled in parts A and B of medicare one or more medicare supplemental insurance policies that conform to the requirements of chapter 48.66 RCW. The policies shall be chosen in consultation with the public employees' benefits board. These policies shall be made available to retired or disabled state employees; retired or disabled school district employees; retired employees of county, municipal, or other political subdivisions or retired employees of tribal governments eligible for coverage available under the authority; or surviving spouses or surviving state registered domestic partners of emergency service personnel killed in the line of duty.
[2015 c 116 § 7; 2009 c 523 § 2; 2007 c 114 § 7; 2005 c 47 § 1; 1993 c 492 § 222.]
(1) A health benefit plan offered to public employees and their covered dependents under this chapter that is not subject to chapter 48.43 RCW, that is issued or renewed after December 31, 2015, and that provides coverage for prescription drugs must implement a medication synchronization policy for the dispensing of prescription drugs to the plan's enrollees.
(a) If an enrollee requests medication synchronization for a new prescription, the health [benefit] plan must permit filling the drug: (i) For less than a one-month supply of the drug if synchronization will require more than a fifteen-day supply of the drug; or (ii) for more than a one-month supply of the drug if synchronization will require a fifteen-day supply of the drug or less.
(b) The health benefit plan shall adjust the enrollee cost-sharing for a prescription drug subject to coinsurance that is dispensed for less than the standard refill amount for the purpose of synchronizing the medications.
(c) The health benefit plan shall adjust the enrollee cost-sharing for a prescription drug with a copayment that is dispensed for less than the standard refill amount for the purpose of synchronizing the medications by:
(i) Discounting the copayment rate by fifty percent;
(ii) Discounting the copayment rate based on fifteen-day increments; or
(iii) Any other method that meets the intent of this section and is approved by the office of the insurance commissioner.
(2) Upon request of an enrollee, the prescribing provider or pharmacist shall:
(a) Determine that filling or refilling the prescription is in the best interest of the enrollee, taking into account the appropriateness of synchronization for the drug being dispensed;
(b) Inform the enrollee that the prescription will be filled to less than the standard refill amount for the purpose of synchronizing his or her medications; and
(c) Deny synchronization on the grounds of threat to patient safety or suspected fraud or abuse.
(3) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings unless the context clearly requires otherwise:
(a) "Medication synchronization" means the coordination of medication refills for a patient taking two or more medications for a chronic condition such that the patient's medications are refilled on the same schedule for a given time period.
(b) "Prescription" has the same meaning as in RCW 18.64.011.
[2015 c 213 § 2.]
(a) "Federal poverty level" means the official poverty level based on family size established and adjusted under section 673(2) of the omnibus budget reconciliation act of 1981 (P.L. 97-35; 42 U.S.C. Sec. 9902(2), as amended).
(b) "Foundation" means the prescription drug assistance foundation established in this section, a nonprofit corporation organized under the laws of this state to provide assistance in accessing prescription drugs to qualified uninsured individuals.
(c) "Health insurance coverage including prescription drugs" means prescription drug coverage under a private insurance plan, including a plan offered through the health benefit exchange under chapter 43.71 RCW, the medicaid program, the state children's health insurance program ("SCHIP"), the medicare program, the basic health plan, or any employer-sponsored health plan that includes a prescription drug benefit.
(d) "Qualified uninsured individual" means an uninsured person or an underinsured person who is a resident of this state and whose income meets financial criteria established by the foundation.
(e) "Underinsured" means an individual who has health insurance coverage including prescription drugs, but for whom the prescription drug coverage is inadequate for their needs.
(f) "Uninsured" means an individual who lacks health insurance coverage including prescription drugs.
(2)(a) The administrator shall establish the foundation as a nonprofit corporation, organized under the laws of this state. The foundation shall assist qualified uninsured individuals in obtaining prescription drugs at little or no cost.
(b) The foundation shall be administered in a manner that:
(i) Begins providing assistance to qualified uninsured individuals by January 1, 2006;
(ii) Defines the population that may receive assistance in accordance with this section; and
(iii) Complies with the eligibility requirements necessary to obtain and maintain tax-exempt status under federal law.
(c) The board of directors of the foundation consists of up to eleven with a minimum of five members appointed by the governor to staggered terms of three years. The governor shall select as members of the board individuals who (i) will represent the interests of persons who lack prescription drug coverage; and (ii) have demonstrated expertise in business management and in the administration of a not-for-profit organization.
(d) The foundation shall apply for and comply with all federal requirements necessary to obtain and maintain tax-exempt status with respect to the federal tax obligations of the foundation's donors.
(e) The foundation is authorized, subject to the direction and ratification of the board, to receive, solicit, contract for, collect, and hold in trust for the purposes of this section, donations, gifts, grants, and bequests in the form of money paid or promised, services, materials, equipment, or other things tangible or intangible that may be useful for helping the foundation to achieve its purpose. The foundation may use all sources of public and private financing to support foundation activities. No general fund-state funds shall be used for the ongoing operation of the foundation.
(f) No liability on the part of, and no cause of action of any nature, shall arise against any member of the board of directors of the foundation or against an employee or agent of the foundation for any lawful action taken by them in the performance of their administrative powers and duties under this section.
[2015 c 161 § 1; 2008 c 87 § 1; 2005 c 267 § 1.]
(1) A health plan offered to employees and their covered dependents under this chapter issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2017, shall reimburse a provider for a health care service provided to a covered person through telemedicine or store and forward technology if:
(c) The health care service is a service recognized as an essential health benefit under section 1302(b) of the federal patient protection and affordable care act in effect on January 1, 2017.
(9)[(8)] For purposes of this section:
[2015 c 23 § 2.]
Effective date—2015 c 23 §§ 2-4: "Sections 2 through 4 of this act take effect January 1, 2017." [2015 c 23 § 7.]
Adoption of sections—2015 c 23 §§ 2-4: "The legislature encourages health plans to adopt the requirements of sections 2 through 4 of this act prior to January 1, 2017. Therefore, nothing in this act prohibits a plan from adopting the requirements of sections 2 through 4 of this act prior to January 1, 2017." [2015 c 23 § 8.]
Intent—2015 c 23: "It is the intent of the legislature to recognize the application of telemedicine as a reimbursable service by which an individual receives medical services from a health care provider without in-person contact with the provider. It is also the intent of the legislature to reduce the compliance requirements on hospitals when granting privileges or associations to telemedicine physicians." [2015 c 23 § 1.]
(1) An eligible provider, as described in subsection (2) of this section, must, in addition to the rate of payment that the provider would otherwise receive for medicaid ground emergency medical transportation services, receive supplemental medicaid reimbursement to the extent provided by law.
(2) A provider is eligible for supplemental reimbursement only if the provider has all of the following characteristics continuously during a state fiscal year:
(a) Provides ground emergency medical transportation services to medicaid beneficiaries:
(b) Is a provider that is enrolled as a medicaid provider for the period being claimed;
(c) Is owned or operated by the state, a city, county, fire protection district, community services district, health care district, federally recognized Indian tribe or any unit of government as defined in 42 C.F.R. Sec. 433.50;
(3) An eligible provider's supplemental reimbursement pursuant to this section must be calculated and paid as follows:
(a) The supplemental reimbursement to an eligible provider, as described in subsection (2) of this section, must be equal to the amount of federal financial participation received as a result of the claims submitted pursuant to subsection (6)(b) of this section;
(b) In no instance may the amount certified pursuant to subsection (5)(a) of this section, when combined with the amount received from all other sources of reimbursement from the medicaid program, exceed one hundred percent of actual costs, as determined pursuant to the medicaid state plan, for ground emergency medical transportation services;
(c) The supplemental medicaid reimbursement provided by this section must be distributed exclusively to eligible providers under a payment methodology based on ground emergency medical transportation services provided to medicaid beneficiaries by eligible providers on a per-transport basis or other federally permissible basis. The authority shall obtain approval from the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services for the payment methodology to be utilized, and may not make any payment pursuant to this section prior to obtaining that approval.
(4)(a) It is the legislature's intent in enacting this section to provide the supplemental reimbursement described in this section without any expenditure from the general fund. An eligible provider, as a condition of receiving supplemental reimbursement pursuant to this section, shall enter into, and maintain, an agreement with the authority for the purposes of implementing this section and reimbursing the department for the costs of administering this section.
(b) The nonfederal share of the supplemental reimbursement submitted to the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services for purposes of claiming federal financial participation shall be paid only with funds from the governmental entities described in subsection (2)(c) of this section and certified to the state as provided in subsection (5) of this section.
(5) Participation in the program by an eligible provider described in this section is voluntary. If an applicable governmental entity elects to seek supplemental reimbursement pursuant to this section on behalf of an eligible provider owned or operated by the entity, as described in subsection (2)(c) of this section, the governmental entity shall do all of the following:
(a) Certify, in conformity with the requirements of 42 C.F.R. Sec. 433.51, that the claimed expenditures for the ground emergency medical transportation services are eligible for federal financial participation;
(b) Provide evidence supporting the certification as specified by the department;
(c) Submit data as specified by the department to determine the appropriate amounts to claim as expenditures qualifying for federal financial participation;
(d) Keep, maintain, and have readily retrievable, any records specified by the department to fully disclose reimbursement amounts to which the eligible provider is entitled, and any other records required by the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services.
(6) The department shall promptly seek any necessary federal approvals for the implementation of this section. The department may limit the program to those costs that are allowable expenditures under Title XIX of the federal social security act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396 et seq.). If federal approval is not obtained for implementation of this section, this section may not be implemented.
(a) The department shall submit claims for federal financial participation for the expenditures for the services described in subsection (5) of this section that are allowable expenditures under federal law.
(b) The department shall, on an annual basis, submit any necessary materials to the federal government to provide assurances that claims for federal financial participation will include only those expenditures that are allowable under federal law.
(7) If either a final judicial determination is made by any court of appellate jurisdiction or a final determination is made by the administrator of the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services that the supplemental reimbursement provided for in this section must be made to any provider not described in this section, the director shall execute a declaration stating that the determination has been made and on that date this section becomes inoperative.
[2015 c 147 § 1.]
(1) The authority shall design and implement, in consultation with eligible providers as described in subsection (2) of this section, an intergovernmental transfer program relating to medicaid managed care, ground emergency medical transport services including those services provided by emergency medical technicians at the basic, advanced, and paramedic levels in the prestabilization and preparation for transport in order to increase capitation payments for the purpose of increasing reimbursement to eligible providers.
(2) A provider is eligible for increased reimbursement pursuant to this section only if the provider meets both of the following conditions in an applicable state fiscal year:
(a) Provides ground emergency medical transport services to medicaid managed care enrollees pursuant to a contract or other arrangement with a medicaid managed care plan.
(b) Is owned or operated by the state, a city, county, fire protection district, special district, community services district, health care district, federally recognized Indian tribe or unit of government as defined in 42 C.F.R. Sec. 433.50.
(3) To the extent intergovernmental transfers are voluntarily made by, and accepted from, an eligible provider described in subsection (2) of this section, or a governmental entity affiliated with an eligible provider, the department shall make increased capitation payments to applicable medicaid managed care plans for covered ground emergency medical transportation services.
(a) The increased capitation payments made pursuant to this section must be in amounts at least actuarially equivalent to the supplemental fee-for-service payments available for eligible providers to the extent permissible under federal law.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (6) of this section, all funds associated with intergovernmental transfers made and accepted pursuant to this section must be used to fund additional payments to eligible providers.
(c) Medicaid managed care plans shall pay one hundred percent of any amount of increased capitation payments made pursuant to this section to eligible providers for providing and making available ground emergency medical transportation and paramedical services pursuant to a contract or other arrangement with a medicaid managed care plan.
(4) The intergovernmental transfer program developed pursuant to this section must be implemented on the date federal approval was obtained, and only to the extent intergovernmental transfers from the eligible provider, or the governmental entity with which it is affiliated, are provided for this purpose. To the extent permitted by federal law, the department may implement the intergovernmental transfer program and increased capitation payments pursuant to this section on a retroactive basis as needed.
(5) Participation in the intergovernmental transfers under this section is voluntary on the part of the transferring entities for purposes of all applicable federal laws.
(6) This section must be implemented without any additional expenditure from the state general fund. As a condition of participation under this section, each eligible provider as described in subsection (2) of this section, or the governmental entity affiliated with an eligible provider, shall agree to reimburse the department for any costs associated with implementing this section. Intergovernmental transfers described in this section are subject to a twenty percent administration fee of the nonfederal share paid to the department and is allowed to count as a cost of providing the services.
(7) As a condition of participation under this section, medicaid managed care plans, eligible providers as described in subsection (2) of this section, and governmental entities affiliated with eligible providers shall agree to comply with any requests for information or similar data requirements imposed by the department for purposes of obtaining supporting documentation necessary to claim federal funds or to obtain federal approvals.
(8) This section must be implemented only if and to the extent federal financial participation is available and is not otherwise jeopardized, and any necessary federal approvals have been obtained.
(9) To the extent that the director determines that the payments made pursuant to this section do not comply with federal medicaid requirements, the director retains the discretion to return or not accept an intergovernmental transfer, and may adjust payments pursuant to this section as necessary to comply with federal medicaid requirements.
(10) To the extent federal approval is obtained, the increased capitation payments under this section may commence for dates of service on or after January 1, 2015.
[2015 c 147 § 2.]