PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Medicaid Purchasing Administration)
Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 388-501-0050 Healthcare general coverage, 388-501-0060 Healthcare coverage -- Scope of covered categories of service, 388-501-0065 Healthcare coverage -- Description of covered categories of service, 388-501-0070 Healthcare coverage -- Noncovered services, and possibly other related chapters and sections.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.08.090, and 74.09.700.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The department is amending these rules to clarify and update the healthcare services categories and to reflect the January 1, 2011, and March 1, 2011, reductions to the following optional services and programs: Adult dental; adult hospice; adult vision; adult podiatry; adult hearing aids; adult prescription drugs; school-based medical services; state-only alien medical; interpreter services; medical for disability lifeline clients; eligibility reduction for apple health for kids; first steps maternity support services and infant case management; family planning and TAKE CHARGE; medicare Part D copayments; and physical, occupational, and speech therapies.
These changes are being made in response to the governor's order that all state agencies reduce their budget expenditures by 6.3% through the end of the current fiscal year ending June 30, 2011.
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 Kevin Sullivan, P.O. Box 45504, Olympia, WA 98504-5504, phone (360) 725-1344, fax (360) 586-9727, TTY 1-800-848-5429, e-mail sullikm@dshs.wa.gov.
November 3, 2010
Katherine I. Vasquez
Rules Coordinator