DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

[Filed December 18, 2018, 4:07 p.m., effective January 18, 2019]

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

Purpose: WAC 246-454-010 Definitions and 246-454-030 Submission of budget, hospital financial data and reports. The department of health (department) has adopted: (1) The repeal of WAC 246-454-030 to eliminate an outdated requirement that each hospital submit a financial report related to hospitals' annual budgets; (2) an amendment to WAC 246-454-010 to remove the definition of "budget," a term related to the section repealed; and (3) an amendment to correct a statutory reference in WAC 246-454-010; and an amendment to the introduction sentence in WAC 246-454-010 to provide clarity.

Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 246-454-030; and amending WAC 246-454-010.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 43.70.040.

Other Authority: RCW 43.70.052.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 18-18-076 on September 4, 2018.

Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version: Clarifying language was added to WAC 246-454-010. The introduction sentence was amended to provide clarity. The amended sentence reads, "The definitions in this section apply throughout the chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise."

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 1.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 1.

Date Adopted: December 18, 2018.

John Wiesman, DrPH, MPH

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 94-12-089, filed 6/1/94, effective 7/2/94)

WAC 246-454-010Definitions.

((As used in this chapter,))The definitions in this section apply throughout the chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) "Department" means the Washington state department of health created by chapter 43.70 RCW.

(2) "Hospital" means any health care institution which is required to qualify for a license under chapter 70.41 RCW ((70.41.020(2))); or as a psychiatric hospital under chapter 71.12 RCW.

(3) "Manual" means the Washington State Department of Health Accounting and Reporting Manual for Hospitals, third edition adopted under WAC 246-454-020.

(4) "System of accounts" means the list of accounts, code numbers, definitions, units of measure, and principles and concepts included in the manual.

(((5) "Budget" means the forecast of each hospital's total financial needs and the resources available to meet such needs for its next fiscal year and includes such information as shall be specified in the manual concerning volume and utilization projections, operating expenses, capital requirements, and deductions from revenue.))

The following section of the Washington Administrative Code is repealed:

Submission of budget.