PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
(Medical Assistance Administration)
Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 388-416-0035 Certification periods for medicare cost-sharing, 388-478-0085 Medicare savings programs -- Monthly income and countable resource standards, and 388-517-0300 Medicare savings programs.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 74.04.50 [74.04.050], 74.04.055, 74.04.057, 74.08.090, 74.09.530, 74.09.575.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The qualified individual (QI-1) program and the qualified individual (QI-2) program, two of the state's Medicare savings programs, are being eliminated. These programs were federally approved and federally funded only through December 31, 2002, under the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. No federal legislation has been submitted to extend them beyond December 31, 2002.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.
Process for Developing New Rule: The department invites the interested public to review and provide input on the draft language of this rule. Draft material and information about how to participate may be obtained from the department representative listed below.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Patricia Armstrong, Program Manager, Medical Assistance Administration, P.O. Box 45534, Olympia, WA 98504-5534, phone (360) 725-1725, fax (360) 664-0910, TDD/TTY 1-800-848-5429, e-mail armstpa@dshs.wa.gov.
September 27, 2002
Brian H. Lindgren, Manager
Rules and Policies Assistance Unit