(1) The health insurance partnership board is hereby established. The governor shall appoint a seven-member health insurance partnership board by June 30, 2007. The board shall be composed of persons with expertise in the health insurance market and benefit design, and be chaired by the administrator.

     (2) The governor shall appoint the initial members of the board to staggered terms not to exceed four years. Initial appointments shall be made on or before June 1, 2007. Members appointed thereafter shall serve two-year terms. Members of the board shall be compensated in accordance with RCW 43.03.250 and shall be reimbursed for their travel expenses while on official business in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060. The board shall prescribe rules for the conduct of its business. Meetings of the board shall be at the call of the chair.

     (3) The board may establish technical advisory committees or seek the advice of technical experts when necessary to execute the powers and duties included in this section.

     (4) The board and employees of the board shall not be civilly or criminally liable and shall not have any penalty or cause of action of any nature arise against them for any action taken or not taken, including any discretionary decision or failure to make a discretionary decision, when the action or inaction is done in good faith and in the performance of the powers and duties under this chapter. Nothing in this section prohibits legal actions against the board to enforce the board's statutory or contractual duties or obligations.

[2007 c 260 § 4.]

NOTES:

     Report -- 2007 c 260: "On or before September 1, 2009, the health insurance partnership board shall submit a report and recommendations to the governor and the legislature regarding:

     (1) The risks and benefits of additional markets participating in the partnership:

     (a) The report shall examine the following markets:

     (i) Washington state health insurance pool under chapter 48.41 RCW;

     (ii) Basic health plan under chapter 70.47 RCW;

     (iii) Public employees' benefits board enrollees under chapter 41.05 RCW;

     (iv) Public school employees; and

     (v) Any final recommendations for the individual and small group markets, relevant to the study outlined in section 10 of this act; and

     (b) The report shall examine at least the following issues:

     (i) The impact of these markets participating in the partnership, with respect to the utilization of services and cost of health plans offered through the partnership;

     (ii) Whether any distinction should be made in participation between active and retired employees enrolled in public employees' benefits board plans, giving consideration to the implicit subsidy that nonmedicare-eligible retirees currently benefit from by being pooled with active employees, and how medicare-eligible retirees would be affected;

     (iii) The impact of applying small group health benefit plan regulations on access to health services and the cost of coverage for these markets; and

     (iv) If the board recommends the inclusion of additional markets, how the composition of the board should be modified to reflect the participation of these markets; and

     (2) The risks and benefits of establishing a requirement that residents of the state of Washington age eighteen and over obtain and maintain affordable creditable coverage, as defined in the federal health insurance portability and accountability act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 300gg(c)). The report shall address the question of how a requirement that residents maintain coverage could be enforced in the state of Washington." [2007 c 260 § 11.]