PERMANENT RULES
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Economic Services Administration)
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: This amendment to WAC 388-406-0005 Can I apply for cash, medical, or Basic Food?, supports the requirement that the department accept a public assistance application from a person with mental illness while the person is confined in a public institution (jail, prison or institution for mental diseases). The department is required to determine the person's eligibility for medical assistance prior to release from the institution and, when possible, issue medical benefits effective the date of the person's release. This rule also supports the department accepting other public assistance applications from people in public institutions but without the requirement to determine eligibility for benefits before their release from an institution.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-406-0005.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.08.090, 74.09.555.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 06-04-045 on January 26, 2006.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.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: March 23, 2006.
Andy Fernando, Manager
Rules and Policies Assistance Unit
3628.2(2) You must meet certain eligibility requirements in order to receive a program benefit.
(3) You can apply for someone else if you are:
(a) A legal guardian, caretaker, or authorized representative applying for:
(i) A dependent child;
(ii) An incapacitated person; or
(iii) Someone who is deceased.
(b) Applying for someone who cannot apply for some other reason. We may ask why the applicant is unable to apply on their own behalf.
(4) If you get Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you do not need to apply for medical benefits. We automatically open medical benefits for you.
(5) A person or agency may apply for GAU or medical assistance for you if:
(a) You temporarily live out-of-state; and
(b) You are a Washington state resident.
(6) When you are confined or incarcerated in a Washington State public institution, you may apply for cash or medical assistance within forty-five days prior to your expected release date if you meet the following criteria:
(a) You are confined by or in the following public institutions:
(i) Department of Corrections;
(ii) City or county jail; or
(iii) Institution for Mental Diseases (IMD).
(b) Staff at the public institution provide medical records including diagnosis by a mental health professional that you have a mental disorder (as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatric Disorders, most recent edition) that affects your thoughts, mood or behavior so severely that it prevents you from performing any kind of work.
(7) The department will make an eligibility determination for medical assistance prior to your release from confinement and will authorize medical benefits upon your release from confinement when you:
(a) Meet the criteria of subsection (6) in this section; and
(b) Were receiving Medicaid or General Assistance benefits immediately before confinement or within the five years prior to confinement.
(8) If you meet the criteria in subsection (6) but did not receive Medicaid or General Assistance benefits within the past five years, the department will process your request for medical assistance within the time frames in WAC 388-406-0035.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510. 03-22-039, § 388-406-0005, filed 10/28/03, effective 12/1/03. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.04.510, and 74.08.090. 02-11-137, § 388-406-0005, filed 5/21/02, effective 7/1/02. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057 and 74.08.090. 98-16-044, § 388-406-0005, filed 7/31/98, effective 9/1/98. Formerly WAC 388-504-0405 and 388-504-0410.]