WSR 21-11-024

HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY

[Filed May 11, 2021, 12:23 p.m.]

Title or Subject: Medicaid State Plan Amendment (SPA) 21-0016 Sole Community Hospital Rates.

Effective Date: July 1, 2021.

Description: The health care authority (HCA) intends to file SPA 21-0016 to implement ESSB 5092 recently passed by the Washington state legislature. ESSB 5092 directs HCA to implement changes to payments to hospitals meeting the following criteria:

(a) Must be certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as Sole Community Hospitals as of January 1, 2013;

(b) Must have had less than one hundred fifty acute care licensed beds in fiscal year 2011;

(c) Must have a level III adult trauma service designation from the department of health as of January 1, 2014;

(d) Must be owned and operated by the state or a political subdivision; and

(e) Must accept single bed certification patients according to RCW 71.05.745.

Rates must be increased to one hundred fifty percent of the hospital's fee-for-service rates. HCA must discontinue this rate increase after June 30, 2023, and return to the payment levels and methodology for these hospitals that were in place as of January 1, 2018.

SPA 21-0016 is under development. HCA would appreciate any input or concerns regarding this SPA. To request a copy of the SPA when it becomes available or submit comments, please contact the person named below (please note that all comments are subject to public review and disclosure, as are the names of those who comment).

Contact Melissa Craig, Inpatient Program, 626 8th Avenue S.E., Olympia, WA 98501, TRS (TDD/TTY) 711, email Melissa.craig@hca.wa.gov.