PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Health and Rehabilitative Services Administration)
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Psychiatric indigent inpatient program.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 71.05.560, 71.24.035, and 71.34.800.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: To establish eligibility standards for persons who need emergent psychiatric inpatient care and have no financial resources.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: The DSHS Medical Assistance Administration regulates other eligibility standards that are similar to this process. DSHS-Economic Services Administration will determine the person eligibility based on criteria established by this rule.
Process for Developing New Rule: The division is working with the Medical Assistance Administration (MAA) and Economic Services Administration (ESA) on the establishment of this new eligible standard. The division coordinates with Economic Services Administration and Medical Assistant Administration on implementing the new standard and payment issues. The notice was sent to external stakeholders including community hospitals and regional support networks. There were several meetings with the internal stakeholders to discuss the new criteria and ensure the smooth implementation of the new program. A memo was sent out to the community hospitals and posted on the MAA website to inform them of the new program.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Debbie Kingery, Mental Health Division, P.O. Box 45320, Olympia, WA 98504-5320, phone (360) 902-0778, fax (360) 902-0809.
June 25, 2003
Brian H. Lindgren, Manager
Rules and Policies Assistance Unit