Purpose: Increase licensing fees for hospitals from $47.30 per bed to $61.50 per bed, as approved in the supplemental budget by the 1998 legislature.

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 246-318-990.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 70.41.100, 43.20B.020.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 98-09-109 on April 22, 1998.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, amended 1, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

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

June 4, 1998

Kristine Van Gorkom

Deputy Secretary

AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 95-12-097, filed 6/7/95, effective 7/8/95)

WAC 246-318-990  Fees. Hospitals licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW shall:

(1) Submit an annual license fee of ((forty-seven)) sixty-one dollars and ((thirty)) fifty cents for each bed space within the licensed bed capacity of the hospital to the department;

(2) Include all bed spaces in rooms complying with physical plant and movable equipment requirements of this chapter for twenty-four-hour assigned patient rooms;

(3) Include neonatal intensive care bassinet spaces;

(4) Include bed spaces assigned for less than twenty-four-hour patient use as part of the licensed bed capacity when:

(a) Physical plant requirements of this chapter are met without movable equipment; and

(b) The hospital currently possesses the required movable equipment and certifies this fact to the department;

(5) Exclude all normal infant bassinets;

(6) Limit licensed bed spaces as required under chapter 70.38 RCW;

(7) Submit an application for bed additions to the department for review and approval under chapter 70.38 RCW subsequent to department establishment of the hospital licensed bed capacity; and

(8) Set up twenty-four-hour assigned patient beds only within the licensed bed capacity approved by the department.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.250, 43.70.110 and 43.20B.020. 95-12-097, § 246-318-990, filed 6/7/95, effective 7/8/95. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.250. 92-12-028 (Order 273), § 246-318-990, filed 5/28/92, effective 6/28/92. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.040. 91-02-050 (Order 122), § 246-318-990, filed 12/27/90, effective 1/31/91.]