Purpose: Amend WAC 388-450-0200 Will the medical expenses of an elderly or disabled person in my assistance unit be used as an income deduction for Basic Food?, to be consistent with United States Food and Nutrition Service revised policy memo regarding how persons with Medicare-approved prescription drug discount cards will have their excess medical cost deduction calculated for the Basic Food program. Also, updated program language to be consistent with the requirements of HB 2663 regarding respectful language.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-450-0200.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510, 74.08.090.

     Other Authority: FNS AN 04-39 and AN 04-45 (implementing P.L. 108-173); HB 2663 (chapter 175, Laws of 2004).

     Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that immediate adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, or general welfare, and that observing the time requirements of notice and opportunity to comment upon adoption of a permanent rule would be contrary to the public interest; and that state or federal law or federal rule or a federal deadline for state receipt of federal funds requires immediate adoption of a rule.

     Reasons for this Finding: Without the emergency rules DSHS clients would not receive the correct food benefits they are eligible to receive per United States Food and Nutrition Service revised policy as directed in administrative notices 04-39 and 04-45 implementing federal Public Law 108-173; implementation of this policy change is required to be in effect by October 1, 2004. The department is in the process of formal rule adoption, but does not have time to complete the regular rule-making process to meet the required implementation deadline to ensure correct benefits.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

     Date Adopted: September 20, 2004.

Brian H. Lindgren, Manager

Rules and Policies Assistance Unit

     (2) You can use ((a)) an out-of-pocket medical expense toward this deduction if the expense covers services, supplies, medication, or other medically needed items prescribed by a state-licensed practitioner or other state-certified, qualified, health professional. Examples of expenses you can use for this deduction include those for:

     (a) Medical, psychiatric, naturopathic physician, dental, or chiropractic care;

     (b) Prescribed alternative therapy such as massage or acupuncture;

     (c) Prescription drugs;

     (d) Over the counter drugs;

     (e) Eye glasses;

     (f) Medical supplies other than special diets;

     (g) Medical equipment or medically needed changes to your home;

     (h) Shipping and handling charges for an allowable medical item. This includes shipping and handling charges for items purchased through mail order or the internet;

     (i) Long distance calls to a medical provider;

     (j) Hospital and outpatient treatment including:

     (i) Nursing care; or

     (ii) Nursing home care including payments made for a person who was an assistance unit member at the time of placement.

     (k) Health insurance premiums paid by the ((client)) person including:

     (i) Medicare premiums; and

     (ii) Insurance deductibles and co-payments.

     (l) Out-of-pocket expenses used to meet a spenddown as defined in WAC 388-519-0010. We do not allow your entire spenddown obligation as a deduction. We allow the expense as a deduction as it is estimated to occur or as the expense becomes due;

     (m) Dentures, hearing aids, and prosthetics;

     (n) Cost to obtain and care for a seeing eye, hearing, or other specially trained service animal. This includes the cost of food and veterinarian bills. We do not allow the expense of food for a service animal as a deduction if you receive ongoing additional requirements under WAC 388-473-0040 to pay for this need;

     (o) Reasonable costs of transportation and lodging to obtain medical treatment or services; and

     (p) Attendant care necessary due to age, infirmity, or illness. If your AU provides most of the attendant's meals, we allow an additional deduction equal to a one-person allotment.

     (3) There are two types of deductions for out-of-pocket expenses:

     (a) One-time expenses are expenses that cannot be estimated to occur on a regular basis. You can choose to have us:

     (i) Allow the one-time expense as a deduction when it is billed or due;

     (ii) Average the expense through the remainder of your certification period; or

     (iii) If your AU has a twenty-four-month certification period, you can choose to use the expense as a one-time deduction, average the expense for the first twelve months of your certification period, or average it for the remainder of our certification period.

     (b) Recurring expenses are expenses that happen on a regular basis. We estimate your monthly expenses for the certification period.

     (4) If the elderly person or individual with a disability in your AU has a Medicare prescription drug card:

     (a) Allow any out-of-pocket expenses that meet the criteria in subsections (2) and (3) above;

     (b) Add a standard twenty-three dollars to these expenses; and

     (c) Allow an additional fifty dollar monthly deduction to account for the 2004 and 2005 prescription subsidies:

     (i) For twenty-four months if the client applied before January 2005; or

     (ii) For the average number of months resulting from dividing the total subsidy amount by fifty dollars if the client applies in January 2005 or later.

     (d) Allow the deductions in (b) and (c) of this subsection even if the AU has no out-of-pocket expenses.

     (5) AU members with a Medicare prescription drug card have the option of using their verified pre-card out-of-pocket expenses when this amount is greater than using the standards in subsection (4).

     (6) We do not allow a medical expense as an income deduction if:

     (a) The expense was paid before you applied for benefits or in a previous certification period;

     (b) The expense was paid or will be paid by someone else;

     (c) The expense was paid or will be paid by the department or another agency;

     (d) The expense is covered by medical insurance;

     (e) We previously allowed the expense, and you did not pay it. We do not allow the expense again even if it is part of a repayment agreement;

     (f) You included the expense in a repayment agreement after failing to meet a previous agreement for the same expense;

     (g) You claim the expense after you have been denied for presumptive SSI; and you are not considered disabled by any other criteria; or

     (h) The provider considers the expense overdue.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510. 04-02-025, § 388-450-0200, filed 12/30/03, effective 2/1/04. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090 and 74.04.510. 99-23-083, § 388-450-0200, filed 11/16/99, effective 1/1/00; 99-16-024, § 388-450-0200, filed 7/26/99, effective 9/1/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090. 98-16-044, § 388-450-0200, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98.]

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