Source: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=41.05.065
Timestamp: 2019-03-22 11:01:14
Document Index: 633725436

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 12', '§ 3', '§ 1', '§ 7', '§ 10', '§ 5', '§ 2', '§ 920', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 3', '§ 1', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 218', '§ 9', '§ 8', '§ 4']

RCW 41.05.065: Public employees' benefits board—Duties—Eligibility—Definitions—Penalties.
RCWs > Title 41 > Chapter 41.05 > Section 41.05.065
41.05.055 << 41.05.065 >> 41.05.066
RCW 41.05.065
(1) The public employees' benefits 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 public employees' benefits board shall develop employee benefit plans that include comprehensive health care benefits for employees. In developing these plans, the public employees' benefits board shall consider the following elements:
(3) To maintain the comprehensive nature of employee health care benefits, benefits provided to employees shall be substantially equivalent to the state employees' health benefit 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 public employees' benefits 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 public employees' benefits board shall design benefits and determine the terms and conditions of employee and retired or disabled school 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) (i) through (vi) may contractually agree with the authority to benefits eligibility criteria which differs from that determined by the public employees' benefits board. The eligibility criteria established by the public employees' benefits board shall be no more restrictive than the following:
(k) For the purposes of this subsection, the public employees' benefits board shall define "benefits-eligible position."
(5) The public employees' benefits 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 public employees' benefits 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 public employees' benefits board shall comply with all applicable federal standards related to the establishment of health savings accounts.
(7) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, for any open enrollment period following August 24, 2011, the public employees' benefits 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 public employees' benefits board and may be permitted to waive coverage under terms and conditions established by the public employees' benefits board.
(9) The public employees' benefits 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 public employees' benefits 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 public employees' benefits board determines to be in the best interests of employees and the state. The public employees' benefits 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 director, if it does not jeopardize the financial viability of the public employees' benefits board's long-term care offering.
(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 public employees' benefits 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 public employees' benefits board.
(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 public employees' benefits board.
(11) The public employees' benefits 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.
[ 2018 c 260 § 12; 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.]
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.]