Public Comment Sought On Health Rules

Consumers will have a chance to comment Tuesday on proposed new rules that would help frame contracts between health care providers and insurers in Washington state.

State Insurance Commissioner Deborah Senn will hold a public hearing on the new rules at 2 p.m. in Room 1A of the downtown branch of the Spokane Public Library, 906 W. Main. The session is one of five planned statewide.

Senn said the rules “emphasize one of our most important consumer protections, which is that health care providers, not insurers, be in charge of medical decision-making.”

Among other things, the draft rules would require that insurers pay documented claims within 30 days or pay interest on delayed payments; every contract must have a fast, fair dispute resolution process; and ensure that providers can review insurer standards, manuals or documents that will impose responsibilities on providers before the provider signs a contract.

A complete copy of the proposed rules is posted online at http://www.wa.gov/ins.

In other events this week:

Monday

U.S. Commerce Department reports construction spending for June.

* National Association of Purchasing Managers releases its report on manufacturing economy for July.

Tuesday

The Washington Citizens Advisory Committee to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the Coeur d’Alene River basin cleanup holds a public hearing on a plan to reduce metals in the river. The meeting is from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Spokane City Council chambers, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.

* The Conference Board releases Leading Economic Indicators for June.

Wednesday

The Small Business Development Center presents a class on “How to Evaluate the Feasibility of a Business Idea,” from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute, 665 N. Riverpoint Blvd. Call 358-7890 for information or to register.

Thursday

The nation’s retailers report monthly sales figures for July.

Friday

U.S. Labor Department reports unemployment for July.

Sunday

The Ecological Society of America holds its annual meeting in Spokane through Aug. 12. The meeting theme is “Legacies, Landscapes and Limits: Bridging Boarders” to pay tribute to the history and environment of Eastern Washington. The meeting will be held in seminars at the Convention Center and throughout Spokane.

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