Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

     Purpose: To update and expand the definition of rural for purposes of determining health systems resources grant eligibility. The adopted rule changes the basis of the definition from the metropolitan statistical area (MSA) concept to the urbanized area concept. The adopted rule will eliminate the unfair reclassification of some counties from rural to urban when applying the MSA method to the updated 2000 census. Current rules base the definition on the 1990 census.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 246-560-010.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 70.175.040 - [70.175.]050 and 70.185.040 - [70.185.]050.

      Adopted under notice filed as WSR 08-14-138 on July 1, 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     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.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: December 10, 2008.

Mary C. Selecky

Secretary

OTS-1593.1

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 99-03-043, filed 1/14/99, effective 2/14/99)

WAC 246-560-010   Definitions.   For the purpose of this chapter the following words and phrases have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

     (1) "Applicant" means any interested party who has been invited to submit an application proposing a health systems resources project.

     (2) "Application" means an invited proposal for a health systems resources project.

     (3) "Basic health care services" means organized care modalities to prevent death, disability, and serious illness. The term includes, but is not limited to:

     (a) Emergency services;

     (b) Primary care physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and midwifery services;

     (c) Short term inpatient care;

     (d) Home health care;

     (e) Community based care for chronic conditions;

     (f) Dental care;

     (g) Vision care;

     (h) Hearing care;

     (i) Hospice care;

     (j) Mental health;

     (k) Necessary support services; and

     (l) Nutrition related services.

     (4) "Catchment area" means the Washington state geographic area where people live who are to receive the basic health care services addressed by the project.

     (5) "Community" means the resident individuals and organizations in a catchment area who may benefit from the basic health care services addressed by the project.

     (6) "Community-based" means that the need is identified by a broad section of the community including providers, institutions in the area, and nonhealth care provider members of the community such as community members of health care boards, economic development council members, organized patient advocacy groups, and others who have an interest in the long-term viability of health care services in the catchment area.

     (7) "Department" means the Washington state department of health.

     (8) "Deliverable" means a document that results from project activities. The term includes, but is not limited to:

     (a) A form;

     (b) An agreement;

     (c) A plan;

     (d) Documentation of numbers served;

     (e) A report; or

     (f) Presentation material.

     (9) "Health care delivery system" means services, personnel, and how they are organized and financed.

     (10) "Interested party" means an eligible entity that has submitted a letter of interest for a health systems resources project.

     (11) "Letter of interest" means a brief description of a project as described in WAC 246-560-040.

     (12) "Letter of invitation" means a letter inviting an interested party who has submitted a letter of interest to submit an application.

     (13) "Local project administrator" means an individual or organization representing the applicant and authorized to enter into legal agreements on behalf of the applicant.

     (14) "Matching funds" means fifty percent of the total budget for recruitment and retention activities must be from a source other than this program. Matching funds may be in-kind contributions.

     (15) (("Metropolitan statistical area" or "MSA" means an urban area defined and described by the United States Department of Census, Bureau of the Census, and printed in the State of Washington 1997 Data Book, Office of Financial Management, Olympia, Washington. The boundaries of all metropolitan statistical areas are county boundaries. The urban counties include:

     (a) Benton;

     (b) Clark;

     (c) Franklin;

     (d) Island;

     (e) King;

     (f) Kitsap;

     (g) Pierce;

     (h) Snohomish;

     (i) Spokane;

     (j) Thurston;

     (k) Whatcom; and

     (l) Yakima.

     (16))) "Outcome" means the anticipated result or impact of the project activities.

     (((17))) (16) "Project" means a health systems resources project.

     (((18))) (17) "Rural" means a ((geographical area outside the boundaries of metropolitan statistical areas (MSA's) or an area within an MSA but more than thirty minutes average travel time from a city or town or contiguous cities or towns with a population of ten thousand or more)) nonurbanized area.

     (((19))) (18) "Successful applicant" means an applicant whose project has been selected for contracting.

     (((20))) (19) "Urban underserved" means an urbanized area ((within a MSA that is thirty minutes average travel time or less from a city or town or contiguous cities or towns with a population of ten thousand or more,)) that has unmet health care needs.

     (20) "Urbanized area" means an area defined and described as an urbanized or urban area by the United States Department of Census, Bureau of the Census.

     (21) "Workplan" means a written document, usually in matrix form, that shows the detail of what is needed to complete a project. The activities, timeline, party responsible, budget, evaluation plan, and measurable outcome is shown for each deliverable.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 70.175.010 - [70.175.]090 and 70.185.030 - [70.185.]080. 99-03-043, § 246-560-010, filed 1/14/99, effective 2/14/99. Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.175 RCW. 91-16-108 (Order 186), § 246-560-010, filed 8/7/91, effective 9/7/91.]

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