48.30A.005 - Findings -- Intent. - Washington Statutes

Findings — Intent.

The legislature finds that the business of insurance is one affected by the public interest, requiring that all persons be actuated by good faith, abstain from deception, and practice honesty and equity in all insurance matters. The payment of kickbacks, bribes, or rebates for referrals to service providers, as has been occurring with increasing regularity in this state, results in inflated or fraudulent insurance claims, results in greater insurance costs for all citizens, and is contrary to the public interest. In particular, the process whereby "cappers" buy and sell insurance claims without the controls of professional licensing and discipline creates a fertile ground for illegal activity and has, in this state, resulted in frauds committed against injured claimants, insurance companies, and the public. Operations that engage in this practice have some or all of the following characteristics: Cappers, acting under an agreement or understanding that they will receive a pecuniary benefit, refer claimants with real or imaginary claims, injuries, or property damage to service providers. This sets off a chain of events that corrupts both the provision of services and casualty or property insurance for all citizens. This chain of events includes false claims for services through the use of false estimates of repair; false prescriptions of care or rehabilitative therapy; services that either do not occur or are provided by persons unqualified to provide the services; submission of false claims; submission of and demands for fraudulent costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and the like; and other devices meant to result in false claims under casualty or property insurance policies or contracts, whether insured or self-insured, and either directly or through subrogation.

     The legislature finds that combatting these practices requires laws carefully fashioned to identify practices that mimic customary business practices. The legislature does not intend this law to be used against medical and other business referral practices that are otherwise legal, customary, and unrelated to the furtherance of some or all of the corrupt practices identified in this chapter.

[1995 c 285 § 1.]