Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 388-424-0001 Citizenship and alien status -- Definitions, 388-424-0006 Citizenship and alien status -- Date of entry, 388-424-0010 Citizenship and alien status -- Eligibility restrictions for TANF and medical benefits, 388-424-0015 Medical eligibility for pregnant women, 388-505-0210 Children's healthcare programs, and possibly other related rules as appropriate.

     Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 74.04.050, 74.04.057, and 74.08.090; P.L. No. 111-3 (H.R. 2, Title II, Sec. 214 - Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009).

     Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Recently passed federal legislation allows the state to provide medicaid and state children's health insurance program coverage to legal immigrant children and pregnant women without the five-year delay from the time of their United States entry. This will allow the state to obtain federal matching funds for this population, which will result in cost savings to the state.

     Process for Developing New Rule: DSHS welcomes the public to take part in developing the rules. Anyone interested should contact the staff person identified below. At a later date, DSHS will file a proposal with the office of the code reviser with a notice of proposed rule making. A copy of the proposal will be sent to everyone on the mailing list and to anyone who requests a copy.

     Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Kevin Sullivan, HRSA Rules Coordinator, P.O. Box 45504, Olympia, WA 98504-5504, phone (360) 725-1344, fax (360) 586-9727, TTY 1-800-848-5429, e-mail sullikm@dshs.wa.gov.

March 12, 2009

Stephanie E. Schiller

Rules Coordinator

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