EMERGENCY RULES
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Health and Recovery Services Administration)
Effective Date of Rule: Immediately.
Purpose: This action is necessary because the department did not provide sufficient notice to stakeholders, as required by the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), of changes to WAC 388-544-0250 that eliminated certain covered services as then set forth in new WAC 388-544-0475 Noncovered services, eyeglasses, and contact lenses.
The department filed preproposal statements of inquiry (CR-101) as WSR 07-22-082 and 07-10-125 to begin the permanent rule-making process for the noncovered services, eyeglasses, and contact lenses portion of chapter 388-544 WAC to correct this matter.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-544-0475.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.08.090.
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.
Reasons for this Finding: To bring the department into compliance with state law, APA.
This continues the emergency rule that is currently in effect under WSR 08-03-094 while the department completes the permanent rule-making process begun under WSR 07-22-082 and 07-10-125. The department filed the permanent rule proposal (CR-102) on April 21, 2008, under WSR 08-09-110. The public hearing will be held on June 10, 2008.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0 [1], Repealed 1 [0].
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0 [1], Repealed 1 [0].
Date Adopted: May 7, 2008.
Stephanie E. Schiller
Rules Coordinator
3871.1(1) Executive style eyeglass lenses;
(2) Bifocal contact lenses;
(3) Daily and two week disposable contact lenses;
(4) Extended wear soft contact lenses, except when used as therapeutic contact bandage lenses or for aphakic clients;
(5) Services for cosmetic purposes only;
(6) Glass lenses including those that darken when exposed to light;
(7) Group vision screening for eyeglasses;
(8) Nonglare or anti-reflective lenses;
(9) Orthoptics and visual training therapy;
(10) Progressive lenses;
(11) Refractive surgery of any type that changes the eye's refractive error. The intent of the refractive surgery procedure is to reduce or eliminate the need for eyeglass or contact lens corrections. This does not include intraocular lens implantation following cataract surgery.
(12) Sunglasses and accessories that function as sunglasses (e.g., "clip-ons");
(13) Upgrades at private expense to avoid MAA's contract limitations (e.g., frames that are not available through MAA's contract or noncontract frames or lenses for which the client or other person pays the difference between MAA's payment and the total cost))) Reserved.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 74.09.510, 74.09.520 and 42 C.F.R. 440.120 and 440.225. 05-13-038, § 388-544-0475, filed 6/6/05, effective 7/7/05.]