PDFWAC 182-551-2010

Definitions.

The following definitions and abbreviations and those found in chapter 182-500 WAC apply to subchapter II:
"Acute care" means care provided by a home health agency for clients who are not medically stable or have not attained a satisfactory level of rehabilitation. These clients require frequent intervention by a registered nurse or licensed therapist.
"Authorized practitioner" means:
(a) A physician, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or physician assistant who may order and conduct home health services, including face-to-face encounter services; or
(b) A certified nurse midwife under 42 C.F.R. 440.70 when furnished by a home health agency that meets the conditions of participation for medicare who may conduct home health services, including face-to-face encounter services.
"Brief skilled nursing visit" means a registered nurse, or a licensed practical nurse under the supervision of a registered nurse, performs only one of the following activities during a visit to a client:
(a) An injection;
(b) Blood draw; or
(c) Placement of medications in containers.
"Chronic care" means long-term care for medically stable clients.
"Electronic visit verification (EVV)" means, with respect to home health services, a system under which in-home visits conducted as part of delivery of such services are electronically verified with respect to:
(a) The type of service performed;
(b) The individual receiving the service;
(c) The date of the service;
(d) The location of service delivery;
(e) The individual providing the service; and
(f) The time the service begins and ends.
"Full skilled nursing visit" means a registered nurse, or a licensed practical nurse under the supervision of a registered nurse, performs one or more of the following activities during a visit to a client:
(a) Observation;
(b) Assessment;
(c) Treatment;
(d) Teaching;
(e) Training;
(f) Management; and
(g) Evaluation.
"Home health agency" means an agency or organization that attests to the satisfaction of the medicaid agency that it meets the requirements for participation in medicare or is certified under the medicare program to provide comprehensive health care on an intermittent or part-time basis to a patient in any setting where the patient's normal life activities take place.
"Home health aide" means a person registered or certified as a nursing assistant under chapter 18.88 RCW who, under the direction and supervision of a registered nurse or licensed therapist, assists in the delivery of nursing or therapy related activities, or both.
"Home health aide services" means services provided by a home health aide only when a client has an acute, intermittent, short-term need for the services of a registered nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, or speech therapist who is employed by or under contract with a home health agency. These services are provided under the supervision of the previously identified authorized practitioners and include, but are not limited to, ambulation and exercise, assistance with self-administered medications, reporting changes in a client's condition and needs, and completing appropriate records.
"Home health skilled services" means skilled health care (nursing, specialized therapy, and home health aide) services provided on an intermittent or part-time basis by a home health agency. See also WAC 182-551-2000.
"Long-term care" is a generic term referring to various programs and services, including services provided in home and community settings, administered directly or through contract by the department of social and health services' (DSHS) division of developmental disabilities (DDD) or aging and long-term support administration (ALTSA) through home and community services (HCS).
"Medical social services" are services delivered by a medical social worker that are intended to resolve social or emotional problems that are expected to be an impediment to the effective treatment of the client's medical condition or rate of recovery.
"Medical social worker" has the same meaning given for "social worker" in WAC 246-335-510.
"Plan of care (POC)" (also known as "plan of treatment (POT)") means a written plan of care that is established and periodically reviewed and signed by both an authorized practitioner and a home health agency provider. The plan describes the home health care to be provided in any setting where the client's normal life activities take place. See WAC 182-551-2210.
"Review period" means the three-month period the medicaid agency assigns to a home health agency, based on the address of the agency's main office, during which the medicaid agency reviews all claims submitted by that home health agency.
"Specialized therapy" means skilled therapy services provided to clients that include:
(a) Physical;
(b) Occupational; or
(c) Speech/audiology services.
(See WAC 182-551-2110.)
"Telemedicine" - See WAC 182-501-0300 and 182-551-2125.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160, and P.L. 114-255. WSR 23-24-026, § 182-551-2010, filed 11/29/23, effective 1/1/24. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160, and 2021 c 157. WSR 23-04-048, § 182-551-2010, filed 1/26/23, effective 2/26/23. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021 and 41.05.160. WSR 22-05-048, § 182-551-2010, filed 2/9/22, effective 3/12/22; WSR 21-23-044, § 182-551-2010, filed 11/9/21, effective 12/10/21. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160 and 42 C.F.R. Section 440.70. WSR 18-24-023, § 182-551-2010, filed 11/27/18, effective 1/1/19. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160. WSR 16-03-035, § 182-551-2010, filed 1/12/16, effective 2/12/16. WSR 11-14-075, recodified as § 182-551-2010, filed 6/30/11, effective 7/1/11. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, chapter 74.09 RCW, and 2009 c 326. WSR 10-10-087, § 388-551-2010, filed 5/3/10, effective 6/3/10. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 74.09.520, 74.09.530, and 74.09.500. WSR 02-15-082, § 388-551-2010, filed 7/15/02, effective 8/15/02. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090 and 74.09.530. WSR 99-16-069, § 388-551-2010, filed 8/2/99, effective 9/2/99.]