(1)(a) The contractor must inform the department of its current electronic mail (email) address at which it wants to receive rate notifications. It is the responsibility of the contractor to inform the department of any changes to the email address at which it wants to receive notice of the department's actions. The department may notify each contractor by email using the contractor's supplied email address of its prospective medicaid payment rate allocation and/or any actions that result in a change to the contractor's prospective medicaid payment rate allocation. The date of the department's notification email will be used to determine whether the notification and the contractor's response met any legal requirements, irrespective of when the contractor read the email.

(b) When the contractor seeks to appeal or take exception to a department action taken under authority of this chapter or chapter 74.46 RCW and eligible for administrative review under WAC 388-96-901, it shall comply with WAC 388-96-904 when requesting an administrative review conference.

(2)(a) Unless otherwise specified at the time it is issued, the medicaid payment rate allocation and/or component rate allocation(s) will be effective from the first day of the month in which it (they) is (are) issued. When the department amends a medicaid payment rate allocation and/or component rate allocation(s) as the result of an appeal in accordance with WAC 388-96-904, the amended rate will have the same effective date as the appealed rate.

(b) When a total medicaid component payment rate allocation and/or rate allocation(s) is (are) adjusted, updated or amended after the calendar year in which the adjustment or update was effective, then the department will account for any amounts owed through the settlement process.

(3)(a) When the department has sent written notice by post, it shall deem the contractor to have received the department's notice five calendar days after the date of the notification letter, unless proof of the date of receipt of the department's notification letter exists, in which case the actual date of receipt shall be used. Proof of date of receipt of department's notification must be from an independent source that has no stake in the outcome.

(b) When the department has sent notice by certified letter, the department shall deem the contractor to have received the department's notice five calendar days after the date the U.S. Post Office first attempts to deliver the certified letter containing the notice of the department's action(s).