Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapter 388-96 WAC, Nursing facility Medicaid payment system.

     Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: Chapter 74.46 RCW.

     Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The department is amending this chapter to:

•	Amend or adopt rules to govern accounts receivable audits addressing requirements of the nursing home, overpayments, and interest.
•	Amend WAC 388-96-366(3) to increase amount of a resident's funds that a nursing home must deposit from $50 to $100.
•	Adopt a definition of "direct care supplies" in WAC 388-96-010.
•	Adopt a new section about recalculating the direct care rate when a nursing home unbanks beds addressing what days to use. (RCW 74.46.431(13).
•	Amend sections to clarify when minimum occupancy will be used in setting the component rates.
•	Clarify regulations by codifying current policies and practices and editing previous codifications for substance and form. All sections may be amended.

     Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.

     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 Patricia Hague, Aging and Disability Services Administration, P.O. Box 45600, Mailstop 45600, Olympia, WA 98504-5600, phone (360) 725-2447, fax (360) 725-2641, e-mail haguepe@dshs.wa.gov.

December 6, 2006

Andy Fernando, Manager

Rules and Policies Assistance Unit

© Washington State Code Reviser's Office