WSR 14-20-043

EMERGENCY RULES

[Filed September 24, 2014, 1:05 p.m., effective September 24, 2014, 1:05 p.m.]

Effective Date of Rule: Immediately upon filing.

Purpose: Amendments in Title 388 WAC remove medical references, support the creation of the housing and essential needs (HEN) referral program and remove references to the Alcohol and Drug Addiction Treatment and Support Act (ADATSA). These amendments are currently in effect via emergency rule making filed on May 29, 2014, as WSR 14-12-041.

2E2SHB 1738, Laws of 2011, designated the health care authority (HCA) as the single state agency responsible for the administration and supervision of Washington's medical assistance programs. HCA recodified medical assistance program rules to Title 182 WAC. Accordingly, the department must eliminate corresponding rules and medical references under Title 388 WAC. Amendments also support the creation of the new HEN referral program created under SHB 2069 (2013 legislative session) and also remove references related to ADATSA, as the legislature did not appropriate funds for ADATSA. Beginning January 1, 2014, ADATSA-related medical care services recipients are medicaid eligible under the Affordable Care Act.

Additional amendments spell out the acronym, ABD, identifying it as the aged, blind or disabled program. The department is in the process of proposing amendments to these rules permanently via the regular rule-making process. The CR-102 proposed rule making was filed on June 3, 2014, via WSR 14-12-076. The public hearing was held on July 22, 2014. The department is in the process of reviewing comments received during the public hearing comment period.

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-406-0005, 388-406-0035, 388-406-0045, 388-418-0005, 388-424-0010, 388-424-0015, 388-436-0030, 388-450-0015, 388-450-0025, 388-450-0040, 388-450-0156, 388-450-0162, 388-450-0170, 388-472-0005, and 388-473-0010.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.04.005, 74.04.050, 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.08.090, 74.08A.100, 74.04.770, 74.62.030.

Other Authority: 2E2SHB 1738, chapter 15, Laws of 2011; SHB 2069; and RCW 41.05.021, 74.04.050, 74.08.090, 74.09.035, 74.09.530, and the 2013 biennial budget.

Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that state or federal law or federal rule or a federal deadline for state receipt of federal funds requires immediate adoption of a rule.

Reasons for this Finding: Amendments remove medical references. More specifically, 2E2SHB 1738, Laws of 2011, designated HCA as the single state agency responsible for the administration and supervision of Washington's medical assistance programs. DSHS worked with HCA to repeal medical assistance program rules under Title 388 WAC in support of HCA's efforts to recodify medical assistance program rules under Title 182 WAC. HCA recodified medical assistance program rules at Title 182 WAC, effective October 1, 2013. Accordingly, the department must eliminate corresponding rules under Title 388 WAC. Amendments remove references to the ADATSA program, because the legislature did not appropriate funds for the ADATSA program. Beginning January 1, 2014, ADATSA-related medical care services recipient[s] are medicaid eligible under the Affordable Care Act. Amendments also support the creation of the new HEN referral program created under SHB 2069, which was signed by the governor on June 30, 2013.

The department is in the process of proposing amendments to these rules permanently via the regular rule-making process. The CR-102 proposed rule making was filed on June 3, 2014, via WSR 14-12-076. The public hearing was held on July 22, 2014. The department is in the process of reviewing comments received during the public hearing comment period.

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 15, 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, 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 15, Repealed 0.

Date Adopted: September 22, 2014.

Katherine I. Vasquez

Rules Coordinator