(1) Before conducting discount plan business to which this chapter applies, a person must obtain a license from the commissioner to operate as a discount plan organization.

     (2) Except as provided in subsection (4) of this section, each application for a license to operate as a discount plan organization:

     (a) Must be in a form prescribed by the commissioner and verified by an officer or authorized representative of the applicant; and

     (b) Must demonstrate, set forth, or be accompanied by the following:

     (i) The two hundred fifty dollar application fee, which must be deposited into the general fund;

     (ii) A copy of the organization documents of the applicant, such as the articles of incorporation, including all amendments;

     (iii) A copy of the applicant's bylaws or other enabling documents that establish organizational structure;

     (iv) The applicant's federal identification number, business address, and mailing address;

     (v)(A) A list of names, addresses, official positions, and biographical information of the individuals who are responsible for conducting the applicant's affairs, including all members of the board of directors, board of trustees, executive committee, or other governing board or committee, the officers, contracted management company personnel, and any person or entity owning or having the right to acquire ten percent or more of the voting securities of the applicant; and

     (B) A disclosure in the listing of the extent and nature of any contracts or arrangements between any individual who is responsible for conducting the applicant's affairs and the discount plan organization, including all possible conflicts of interest;

     (vi) A complete biographical statement, on forms prescribed by the commissioner, with respect to each individual identified under (b)(v) of this subsection;

     (vii) A statement generally describing the applicant, its facilities and personnel, and the health care services for which a discount will be made available under the discount plan;

     (viii) A copy of the form of all contracts made or to be made between the applicant and any health care providers or health care provider networks regarding the provision of health care services to members and discounts to be made available to members;

     (ix) A copy of the form of any contract made or arrangement to be made between the applicant and any individual listed in (b)(v) of this subsection;

     (x) A list identifying by name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address all persons who will market each discount plan offered by the applicant. If the person who will market a discount plan is an entity, only the entity must be identified. This list must be maintained and updated within sixty days of any change in the information. An updated list must be sent to the commissioner as part of the discount plan organization's renewal application under (b)(vii) of this subsection;

     (xi) A copy of the form of any contract made or to be made between the applicant and any person, corporation, partnership, or other entity for the performance on the applicant's behalf of any function, including marketing, administration, enrollment, and subcontracting for the provision of health care services to members and discounts to be made available to members;

     (xii) A copy of the applicant's most recent financial statements audited by an independent certified public accountant, except that, subject to the approval of the commissioner, an applicant that is an affiliate of a parent entity that is publicly traded and that prepares audited financial statements reflecting the consolidated operations of the parent entity may submit the audited financial statement of the parent entity and a written guaranty that the minimum capital requirements required under RCW 48.155.030 will be met by the parent entity instead of the audited financial statement of the applicant;

     (xiii) A description of the proposed methods of marketing including, but not limited to, describing the use of marketers, use of the internet, sales by telephone, electronic mail, or facsimile machine, and use of salespersons to market the discount plan benefits;

     (xiv) A description of the member complaint procedures which must be established and maintained by the applicant;

     (xv) If domiciled in this state, the name and address of the applicant's Washington statutory agent for service of process, notice, or demand; and

     (xvi) Any other information the commissioner may reasonably require.

     (3)(a) If the applicant is not domiciled in this state, the applicant must appoint the commissioner as the discount plan organization's attorney to receive service of legal process issued against the discount plan organization in this state upon causes of action arising within this state. Service upon the commissioner as attorney constitutes effective legal service upon the discount plan organization.

     (b) With the appointment the discount plan organization must designate by name, e-mail address, and address the person to whom the commissioner must forward legal process so served upon him or her. The discount plan organization may change the person by filing a new designation.

     (c) The discount plan organization must keep the designation, address, and e-mail address filed with the commissioner current.

     (d) The appointment is irrevocable, binds any successor in interest or to the assets or liabilities of the discount plan organization, and remains in effect for as long as there could be any cause of action against the discount plan organization arising out of the discount plan organization's transactions in this state.

     (e) The service of process must be accomplished and processed in the manner prescribed under RCW 48.02.200.

     (4)(a) Upon application to and approval by the commissioner and payment of the applicable fees, a discount plan organization that holds a current license or other form of authority from another state to operate as a discount plan organization, at the commissioner's discretion, may not be required to submit the information required under subsection (2) of this section in order to obtain a license under this section if the commissioner is satisfied that the other state's requirements, at a minimum, are equivalent to those required under subsection (2) of this section or the commissioner is satisfied that the other state's requirements are sufficient to protect the interests of the residents of this state.

     (b) Whenever the discount plan organization loses its license or other form of authority in that other state to operate as a discount plan organization, or is the subject of any disciplinary administrative proceeding related to the organization's operating as a discount plan organization in that other state, the discount plan organization must immediately notify the commissioner.

     (5) After the receipt of an application filed under subsection (2) or (4) of this section, the commissioner must review the application and notify the applicant of any deficiencies in the application.

     (6)(a) Within ninety days after the date of receipt of a completed application, the commissioner must:

     (i) Issue a license if the commissioner is satisfied that the applicant has met the following:

     (A) The applicant has fulfilled the requirements of this section and the minimum capital requirements in accordance with RCW 48.155.030; and

     (B) The persons who own, control, and manage the applicant are competent and trustworthy and possess managerial experience that would make the proposed operation of the discount plan organization beneficial to discount plan members; or

     (ii) Disapprove the application and state the grounds for disapproval.

     (b) In making a determination under (a) of this subsection, the commissioner may consider, for example, whether the applicant or an officer or manager of the applicant: (i) Is not financially responsible; (ii) does not have adequate expertise or experience to operate a medical discount plan organization; or (iii) is not of good character. Among the factors that the commissioner may consider in making the determination is whether the applicant or an affiliate or a business formerly owned or managed by the applicant or an officer or manager of the applicant has had a previous application for a license, or other authority, to operate as any entity regulated by the commissioner denied, revoked, suspended, or terminated for cause, or is under investigation for or has been found in violation of a statute or regulation in another jurisdiction within the previous five years.

     (7) Prior to licensure by the commissioner, each discount plan organization must establish an internet web site in order to conform to the requirements of RCW 48.155.070(2).

     (8)(a) A license is effective for up to one year, unless prior to its expiration the license is renewed in accordance with this subsection or suspended or revoked in accordance with subsection (9) of this section. Licenses issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2010, will be subject to renewal annually on July 1st. If not so renewed, the license will automatically expire on the renewal date.

     (b) At least ninety days before a license expires, the discount plan organization must submit:

     (i) A renewal application form; and

     (ii) A two hundred dollar renewal application fee for deposit into the general fund.

     (c) The commissioner must renew the license of each holder that meets the requirements of this chapter and pays the appropriate renewal fee required.

     (9)(a) The commissioner may suspend the authority of a discount plan organization to enroll new members or refuse to renew or revoke a discount plan organization's license if the commissioner finds that any of the following conditions exist:

     (i) The discount plan organization is not operating in compliance with this chapter;

     (ii) The discount plan organization does not have the minimum net worth as required under RCW 48.155.030;

     (iii) The discount plan organization has advertised, merchandised, or attempted to merchandise its services in such a manner as to misrepresent its services or capacity for service or has engaged in deceptive, misleading, or unfair practices with respect to advertising or merchandising;

     (iv) The discount plan organization is not fulfilling its obligations as a discount plan organization; or

     (v) The continued operation of the discount plan organization would be hazardous to its members.

     (b) If the commissioner has cause to believe that grounds for the nonrenewal, suspension, or revocation of a license exists, the commissioner must notify the discount plan organization in writing specifically stating the grounds for the refusal to renew or suspension or revocation and may also pursue a hearing on the matter under chapter 48.04 RCW.

     (c) When the license of a discount plan organization is nonrenewed, surrendered, or revoked, the discount plan organization must immediately upon the effective date of the order of revocation or, in the case of a nonrenewal, the date of expiration of the license, stop any further advertising, solicitation, collecting of fees, or renewal of contracts, and proceed to wind up its affairs transacted under the license.

     (d)(i) When the commissioner suspends a discount plan organization's authority to enroll new members, the suspension order must specify the period during which the suspension is to be in effect and the conditions, if any, that must be met by the discount plan organization prior to reinstatement of its license to enroll members.

     (ii) The commissioner may rescind or modify the order of suspension prior to the expiration of the suspension period.

     (iii) The license of a discount plan organization may not be reinstated unless requested by the discount plan organization. The commissioner may not grant the request for reinstatement if the commissioner finds that the circumstances for which the suspension occurred still exist or are likely to recur.

     (10) Each licensed discount plan organization must notify the commissioner immediately whenever the discount plan organization's license, or other form of authority to operate as a discount plan organization in another state, is suspended, revoked, or nonrenewed in that state.

     (11) A health care provider who provides discounts to his or her own patients without any cost or fee of any kind to the patient is not required to obtain and maintain a license under this chapter as a discount plan organization.

[2011 c 47 § 18; 2010 c 27 § 6; 2009 c 175 § 5.]