PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Health and Recovery Services Administration)
Subject of Possible Rule Making: New chapter 388-541 WAC, Apple health for kids full premium program, and possibly other sections in chapter 388-505 WAC.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 74.08.090, 74.09.402, and 74.09.470.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Recently passed state legislation, 2SSB 5093 and ESHB 2118, authorized apple health for kids with the goal of all Washington children having access to health care coverage by 2010. As a part of this access to care, the department was directed to establish an unsubsidized "buy-in" option for children whose families did not qualify for subsidized coverage under apple health for kids. This unsubsidized "buy-in" option has been named "apple health for kids full premium program." These WACs are needed to describe the scope, conditions, and rules of the apple health for kids full premium program.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The health and recovery services administration will be coordinating with the state health care authority through meetings, telephone calls, and electronic communication.
Process for Developing New Rule: DSHS welcomes the public to take part in developing the rules. Anyone interested should contact the staff person identified below. At a later date, DSHS will file a proposal with the office of the code reviser with a notice of proposed rule making. A copy of the proposal will be sent to everyone on the mailing list and to anyone who requests a copy.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Kevin Sullivan, P.O. Box 45504, Olympia, WA 98504-5504, phone (360) 725-1344, fax (360) 586-9727, TTY 1-800-848-5429, e-mail kevin.sullivan@dshs.wa.gov.
January 20, 2010
Don Goldsby, Manager
Rules and Policies Assistance Unit