(1) The Washington state health care authority is created within the executive branch. The authority shall have a director appointed by the governor, with the consent of the senate. The director shall serve at the pleasure of the governor. The director may employ a deputy director, and such assistant directors and special assistants as may be needed to administer the authority, who shall be exempt from chapter 41.06 RCW, and any additional staff members as are necessary to administer this chapter. The director may delegate any power or duty vested in him or her by law, including authority to make final decisions and enter final orders in hearings conducted under chapter 34.05 RCW. The primary duties of the authority shall be to: Administer state employees' insurance benefits and retired or disabled school employees' insurance benefits; administer the basic health plan pursuant to chapter 70.47 RCW; administer the children's health program pursuant to chapter 74.09 RCW; study state-purchased health care programs in order to maximize cost containment in these programs while ensuring access to quality health care; implement state initiatives, joint purchasing strategies, and techniques for efficient administration that have potential application to all state-purchased health services; and administer grants that further the mission and goals of the authority. The authority's duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

     (a) To administer health care benefit programs for employees and retired or disabled school employees as specifically authorized in RCW 41.05.065 and in accordance with the methods described in RCW 41.05.075, 41.05.140, and other provisions of this chapter;

     (b) To analyze state-purchased health care programs and to explore options for cost containment and delivery alternatives for those programs that are consistent with the purposes of those programs, including, but not limited to:

     (i) Creation of economic incentives for the persons for whom the state purchases health care to appropriately utilize and purchase health care services, including the development of flexible benefit plans to offset increases in individual financial responsibility;

     (ii) Utilization of provider arrangements that encourage cost containment, including but not limited to prepaid delivery systems, utilization review, and prospective payment methods, and that ensure access to quality care, including assuring reasonable access to local providers, especially for employees residing in rural areas;

     (iii) Coordination of state agency efforts to purchase drugs effectively as provided in RCW 70.14.050;

     (iv) Development of recommendations and methods for purchasing medical equipment and supporting services on a volume discount basis;

     (v) Development of data systems to obtain utilization data from state-purchased health care programs in order to identify cost centers, utilization patterns, provider and hospital practice patterns, and procedure costs, utilizing the information obtained pursuant to RCW 41.05.031; and

     (vi) In collaboration with other state agencies that administer state purchased health care programs, private health care purchasers, health care facilities, providers, and carriers:

     (A) Use evidence-based medicine principles to develop common performance measures and implement financial incentives in contracts with insuring entities, health care facilities, and providers that:

     (I) Reward improvements in health outcomes for individuals with chronic diseases, increased utilization of appropriate preventive health services, and reductions in medical errors; and

     (II) Increase, through appropriate incentives to insuring entities, health care facilities, and providers, the adoption and use of information technology that contributes to improved health outcomes, better coordination of care, and decreased medical errors;

     (B) Through state health purchasing, reimbursement, or pilot strategies, promote and increase the adoption of health information technology systems, including electronic medical records, by hospitals as defined in RCW 70.41.020(4), integrated delivery systems, and providers that:

     (I) Facilitate diagnosis or treatment;

     (II) Reduce unnecessary duplication of medical tests;

     (III) Promote efficient electronic physician order entry;

     (IV) Increase access to health information for consumers and their providers; and

     (V) Improve health outcomes;

     (C) Coordinate a strategy for the adoption of health information technology systems using the final health information technology report and recommendations developed under chapter 261, Laws of 2005;

     (c) To analyze areas of public and private health care interaction;

     (d) To provide information and technical and administrative assistance to the board;

     (e) To review and approve or deny applications from counties, municipalities, and other political subdivisions of the state to provide state-sponsored insurance or self-insurance programs to their employees in accordance with the provisions of RCW 41.04.205 and (g) of this subsection, setting the premium contribution for approved groups as outlined in RCW 41.05.050;

     (f) To review and approve or deny the application when the governing body of a tribal government applies to transfer their employees to an insurance or self-insurance program administered under this chapter. In the event of an employee transfer pursuant to this subsection (1)(f), members of the governing body are eligible to be included in such a transfer if the members are authorized by the tribal government to participate in the insurance program being transferred from and subject to payment by the members of all costs of insurance for the members. The authority shall: (i) Establish the conditions for participation; (ii) have the sole right to reject the application; and (iii) set the premium contribution for approved groups as outlined in RCW 41.05.050. Approval of the application by the authority transfers the employees and dependents involved to the insurance, self-insurance, or health care program approved by the authority;

     (g) To ensure the continued status of the employee insurance or self-insurance programs administered under this chapter as a governmental plan under section 3(32) of the employee retirement income security act of 1974, as amended, the authority shall limit the participation of employees of a county, municipal, school district, educational service district, or other political subdivision, or a tribal government, including providing for the participation of those employees whose services are substantially all in the performance of essential governmental functions, but not in the performance of commercial activities;

     (h) To establish billing procedures and collect funds from school districts in a way that minimizes the administrative burden on districts;

     (i) To publish and distribute to nonparticipating school districts and educational service districts by October 1st of each year a description of health care benefit plans available through the authority and the estimated cost if school districts and educational service district employees were enrolled;

     (j) To apply for, receive, and accept grants, gifts, and other payments, including property and service, from any governmental or other public or private entity or person, and make arrangements as to the use of these receipts to implement initiatives and strategies developed under this section;

     (k) To issue, distribute, and administer grants that further the mission and goals of the authority;

     (l) To adopt rules consistent with this chapter as described in RCW 41.05.160 including, but not limited to:

     (i) Setting forth the criteria established by the board under RCW 41.05.065 for determining whether an employee is eligible for benefits;

     (ii) Establishing an appeal process in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW by which an employee may appeal an eligibility determination;

     (iii) Establishing a process to assure that the eligibility determinations of an employing agency comply with the criteria under this chapter, including the imposition of penalties as may be authorized by the board;

     (m)(i) To administer the medical services programs established under chapter 74.09 RCW as the designated single state agency for purposes of Title XIX of the federal social security act;

     (ii) To administer the state children's health insurance program under chapter 74.09 RCW for purposes of Title XXI of the federal social security act;

     (iii) To enter into agreements with the department of social and health services for administration of medical care services programs under Titles XIX and XXI of the social security act. The agreements shall establish the division of responsibilities between the authority and the department with respect to mental health, chemical dependency, and long-term care services, including services for persons with developmental disabilities. The agreements shall be revised as necessary, to comply with the final implementation plan adopted under section 116, chapter 15, Laws of 2011 1st sp. sess.;

     (iv) To adopt rules to carry out the purposes of chapter 74.09 RCW;

     (v) To appoint such advisory committees or councils as may be required by any federal statute or regulation as a condition to the receipt of federal funds by the authority. The director may appoint statewide committees or councils in the following subject areas: (A) Health facilities; (B) children and youth services; (C) blind services; (D) medical and health care; (E) drug abuse and alcoholism; (F) rehabilitative services; and (G) such other subject matters as are or come within the authority's responsibilities. The statewide councils shall have representation from both major political parties and shall have substantial consumer representation. Such committees or councils shall be constituted as required by federal law or as the director in his or her discretion may determine. The members of the committees or councils shall hold office for three years except in the case of a vacancy, in which event appointment shall be only for the remainder of the unexpired term for which the vacancy occurs. No member shall serve more than two consecutive terms. Members of such state advisory committees or councils may be paid their travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060 as now existing or hereafter amended.

     (2) On and after January 1, 1996, the public employees' benefits board may implement strategies to promote managed competition among employee health benefit plans. Strategies may include but are not limited to:

     (a) Standardizing the benefit package;

     (b) Soliciting competitive bids for the benefit package;

     (c) Limiting the state's contribution to a percent of the lowest priced qualified plan within a geographical area;

     (d) Monitoring the impact of the approach under this subsection with regards to: Efficiencies in health service delivery, cost shifts to subscribers, access to and choice of managed care plans statewide, and quality of health services. The health care authority shall also advise on the value of administering a benchmark employer-managed plan to promote competition among managed care plans.

[2011 1st sp.s. c 15 § 56; 2009 c 537 § 4. Prior: 2007 c 274 § 1; 2007 c 114 § 3; 2006 c 103 § 2; 2005 c 446 § 1; 2002 c 142 § 1; 1999 c 372 § 4; 1997 c 274 § 1; 1995 1st sp.s. c 6 § 7; 1994 c 309 § 1; prior: 1993 c 492 § 215; 1993 c 386 § 6; 1990 c 222 § 3; 1988 c 107 § 4.]

NOTES:

     Effective date -- Findings -- Intent -- Report -- Agency transfer -- References to head of health care authority -- Draft legislation -- 2011 1st sp.s. c 15: See notes following RCW 74.09.010.

     Effective date -- 2009 c 537: See note following RCW 41.05.008.

     Intent -- Effective date -- 2007 c 114: See notes following RCW 41.05.011.

     Intent -- 2006 c 103: "(1) The legislature recognizes that improvements in the quality of health care lead to better health care outcomes for the residents of Washington state and contain health care costs. The improvements are facilitated by the adoption of electronic medical records and other health information technologies.

     (2) It is the intent of the legislature to encourage all hospitals, integrated delivery systems, and providers in the state of Washington to adopt health information technologies by the year 2012." [2006 c 103 § 1.]

     Effective date -- 1997 c 274: "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, 1997." [1997 c 274 § 10.]

     Effective date -- 1995 1st sp.s. c 6: See note following RCW 28A.400.410.

     Findings -- Intent--1993 c 492: See notes following RCW 43.20.050.

     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.

     Intent -- 1993 c 386: See note following RCW 28A.400.391.

     Effective date -- 1993 c 386 §§ 1, 2, 4-6, 8-10, and 12-16: See note following RCW 28A.400.391.