WSR 97-04-004

PERMANENT RULES

DEPARTMENT OF

SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES

(Public Assistance)

[Filed January 24, 1997, 9:01 a.m.]

Date of Adoption: January 23, 1997.

Purpose: To adopt the rule to correct the reference in subsection (2)(a) from (2)(c) to (3).

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-538-110.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.08.090.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 97-01-092 on December 18, 1996.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 0, amended 1, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, amended 1, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, amended 1, repealed 0.

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

January 23, 1997

Merry Kogut, Manager

Rules and Policies Assistance Unit

AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending Order 3886, filed 8/29/95, effective 9/1/95)

WAC 388-538-110 Client grievances. (1) A client aggrieved by a decision of a managed care contractor or the department shall have the right to a fair hearing as required under WAC 388-81-040.

(2) A client enrolled in a plan:

(a) Shall exhaust a plan's grievance procedure before requesting a fair hearing, except as provided in subsection (((2)(c))) (3) of this section;

(b) Shall receive a written decision containing the following information:

(i) Action the plan intends to take;

(ii) Reasons for the intended action;

(iii) The specific information supporting the action;

(iv) Client's right to request a fair hearing;

(v) Full translation into the primary language of the limited English proficient recipient.

(c) May request a fair hearing when a:

(i) Grievance decision is adverse;

(ii) Plan does not respond in writing within thirty days from the date the client requests the grievance.

(3) The client may request a fair hearing at the same time a grievance is filed when:

(a) The plan denies medical care that a client indicates is urgently needed and the client requests a grievance in writing; or

(b) The subject matter of the grievance is one for which a client has a fair hearing right under chapters 34.05 RCW, 388-08 WAC, or this chapter.

(4) The managed care contractor shall advise a client of the client's right to request a fair hearing at the time the contractor notifies the client of the grievance decision.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090 and 1995 2nd sp.s. c 18. 95-18-046 (Order 3886), 388-538-110, filed 8/29/95, effective 9/1/95. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090. 94-04-038 (Order 3701), 388-538-110, filed 1/26/94, effective 2/26/94; 93-17-039 (Order 3621), 388-538-110, filed 8/11/93, effective 9/11/93.]

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