WSR 05-06-044

PERMANENT RULES

DEPARTMENT OF

SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Medical Assistance Administration)

[ Filed February 25, 2005, 3:52 p.m. , effective July 1, 2005 ]


     

     Purpose: The rule allows the Medical Assistance Administration (MAA) to recalibrate the relative weights used in its diagnostic-related group (DRG) reimbursement system while maintaining budget neutrality within the system, and allows MAA to adopt current versions of the all patient DRG (AP DRG) grouper without exceeding its budget appropriation.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 388-550-3800.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 74.08.090, 74.09.500.

      Adopted under notice filed as WSR 04-17-114 on August 17, 2004.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 1, Repealed 0.

     Date Adopted: February 13, 2005.

Andy Fernando, Manager

Rules and Policies Assistance Unit

3451.2
AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 01-16-142, filed 7/31/01, effective 8/31/01)

WAC 388-550-3800   Rebasing and recalibration.   (1) The medical assistance administration (MAA) rebases the Medicaid payment system periodically using each hospital's cost report for its fiscal year that ends during the calendar year designated by MAA to be used for each update.

     (2) MAA recalibrates diagnosis-related group (DRG) relative weights periodically, as described in WAC 388-550-3100, but no less frequently than each time rebasing is conducted. The department makes recalibrated relative weights effective on the rate implementation date, which can change with each rebasing.

     (3) When recalibrating DRG relative weights without rebasing, MAA may apply a budget neutrality factor (BNF) to hospitals' cost based conversion factors to ensure that total DRG payments to hospitals do not exceed total DRG payments that would have been made to hospitals if the relative weights had not been recalibrated. For the purposes of this section, BNF equals the percentage change from total reimbursement calculated under a new payment system to total reimbursement calculated under the prior payment system.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090 and 42 U.S.C. 1395x(v), 42 C.F.R. 447.271, .11303, and .2652. 01-16-142, § 388-550-3800, filed 7/31/01, effective 8/31/01. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 74.09.730, 74.04.050, 70.01.010, 74.09.200, [74.09.]500, [74.09.]530 and 43.20B.020. 98-01-124, § 388-550-3800, filed 12/18/97, effective 1/18/98.]

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