SENATE BILL REPORT
SHB 2493
AS OF FEBRUARY 14, 1994
Brief Description: Excluding medical assistance administration reimbursement fees and schedules from the administrative procedure act.
SPONSORS: House Committee on Health Care (originally sponsored by Representatives Dellwo and Dyer; by request of Department of Social and Health Services)
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Staff: Rhoda Jones (786‑7198)
Hearing Dates: February 16, 1994
BACKGROUND:
Fee schedules set by the Department of Social and Health Services Medical Assistance Administration (MAA) are established according to legislatively-approved budget provisions. There is little discretion in setting payment rates since these activities are primarily arithmetic rather than discretionary in nature.
A recent superior court decision ruled that the adoption of rate schedules by the MAA is "rulemaking" and must comply with the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), Chapter 34.05 RCW. This decision, if applied to present practice, would delay MAA's ability to change payment rates for providers.
SUMMARY:
It is clarified that arithmetic calculation of payment rates for services and items purchased under contract for clients eligible under 74.09 RCW (public assistance for medical care) are explicitly exempt from the state Administrative Procedure Act.
Appropriation: none
Revenue: none
Fiscal Note: none requested