(1) The state government, or any political subdivision thereof, which offers its employees a health benefits plan shall make available to and inform its employees or members of the option to enroll in at least one health maintenance organization holding a valid certificate of authority which provides health care services in the geographic areas in which such employees or members reside.

Terms Used In Washington Code 48.46.180

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Health maintenance organization: means any organization receiving a certificate of registration by the commissioner under this chapter which provides comprehensive health care services to enrolled participants of such organization on a group practice per capita prepayment basis or on a prepaid individual practice plan, except for an enrolled participant's responsibility for copayments and/or deductibles, either directly or through contractual or other arrangements with other institutions, entities, or persons, and which qualifies as a health maintenance organization pursuant to RCW 48. See Washington Code 48.46.020
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
(2) Each employer, public or private, having more than fifty employees in this state which offers its employees a health benefits plan, and each employee benefits fund in this state having more than fifty members which offers its members any form of health benefits shall make available to and inform its employees or members of the option to enroll in at least one health maintenance organization holding a valid certificate of authority which provides health care services in the geographic areas in which a substantial number of such employees or members reside: PROVIDED, That unless at least twenty-five employees agree to participate in a health maintenance organization the employer need not provide such an option: PROVIDED FURTHER, That where such employees are members of a bona fide bargaining unit covered by a labor-management collective bargaining agreement, the selection of the options required by this section may be specified in such agreement: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That the provisions of this section shall not be mandatory where such members are covered by a Taft-Hartley health care trust, except that the labor-management trustees may contract with a health maintenance organization if a feasibility study determines it is to the advantage of the members to so contract.
(3) Subsections (1) and (2) of this section shall impose no responsibilities or duties upon state government or any political subdivision thereof or any other employer, either public or private, to provide health maintenance organization coverage when no health maintenance organization exists for the purpose of providing health care services in the geographic areas in which the employees or members reside.
(4) No employer in this state shall in any way be required to pay more for health benefits as a result of the application of this section than would otherwise be required by any prevailing collective bargaining agreement or other legally enforceable contract of obligation for the provision of health benefits between such employer and its employees.
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