Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 182-500-0075 Medical assistance definitions—N, 182-501-0135 Patient review and coordination (PRC), 182-531-0425 Collaborative care, 182-531-1300 Foot care services for clients twenty-one years of age and older, 182-531-1720 Tobacco/nicotine cessation counseling, 182-534-0200 Enhanced payments for EPSDT screens for children in out-of-home placement, and 182-552-0001 Respiratory care—General; other related rules as appropriate.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160; ESHB 2041, 68th legislature, 2024 regular session.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The health care authority (agency) is revising these rules to remove the requirement that physician assistants work under the supervision of a physician. This change aligns with ESHB 2041 which authorizes physician assistants to enter into collaborative agreements with physicians to provide team-based care and enhance access to health care for people in Washington state. During the course of this review, the agency may identify additional related changes that are required in order to improve clarity or update policy.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: Department of health.

Process for Developing New Rule: The agency welcomes the public to take part in developing this rule. If interested, contact the person identified below to receive an early rule draft to review. After the early review, the agency will send a notice of proposed rule making (CR-102) to everyone receiving this notice and 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 Melinda Froud, Rule-Making Questions, P.O. Box 42716, Olympia, WA 98504-2716, phone 360-725-1408, fax 360-586-9727, telecommunications relay service (TRS) 711, email melinda.froud@hca.wa.gov, website www.hca.wa.gov/about-hca/rulemaking; or Andrea Allen, Program Questions, P.O. Box 45502, Olympia, WA 98504-5502, phone 360-725-9805, fax 360-586-9727, TRS 711, email andrea.allen@hca.wa.gov, website www.hca.wa.gov/about-hca/rulemaking.