PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Medical Assistance Administration)
Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 388-550-3800 Rebasing and recalibration.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 74.08.090, 74.09.500.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Rules will allow Medical Assistance Administration (MAA) to recalibrate the relative weights used in its diagnostic-related group (DRG) reimbursement system. Recalibrating is a necessary element of the process of upgrading the DRG grouper software, which is used in determining some hospital payments. This rule change allows MAA to recalibrate the relative weights without rebasing the entire payment system, and still maintain budget neutrality. Rules will ensure that total DRG payments to hospitals do not exceed total DRG payments that would have been made to hospitals without recalibrating the relative weights.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.
Process for Developing New Rule: The department invites the interested public to review and provide input on the draft language of this rule. Draft material and information about how to participate may be obtained from the department representative listed below.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Kathy Sayre, Rules Program Manager, P.O. Box 45533, Olympia, WA 98504-5533, phone (360) 725-1342, fax (360) 586-9727, TTY 1-800-848-5429, e-mail sayrek@dshs.wa.gov.
June 18, 2004
Brian H. Lindgren, Manager
Rules and Policies Assistance Unit