Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 246-310-010 Certificate of need, definition of "established ratio."

     Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 70.38.135.

     Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The department of health has been asked to initiate rule making to change the bed-to-population ratio used, in part, to determine nursing home bed need throughout the state. The current "established ratio" is the ratio of forty beds per one thousand persons age sixty-five and older. The average age for all nursing home residents was 79.97 years. Changing the "established ratio" based on the population age seventy or older more accurately reflects the population served by nursing homes.

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

     Process for Developing New Rule: Collaborative rule making.

     Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Yvette Fox, Department of Health, Facilities and Services Licensing, P.O. Box 47852, Olympia, WA 98504-7852, phone (360) 236-2928, fax (360) 236-2901, e-mail yvette.fox@doh.wa.gov. The department of health will conduct public meetings and provide other formats for information.

March 15, 2007

B. White

for M. C. Selecky

Secretary

© Washington State Code Reviser's Office