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

     Purpose: This new rule eliminates a conflict with RCW 48.165.050 and helps standardize the deadlines for health carrier responses to preauthorization for medical services requests.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 284-43-410.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 48.02.060 and 48.43.520.

      Adopted under notice filed as WSR 10-13-143 on June 23, 2010.

     Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version: Subsections (6)(b)(ii) and (v), a clear distinction is made in subsections (6)(b)(ii) and (iv), between the review deadline for concurrent care review requests that are also urgent care situations (twenty-four hours) and the review deadline for concurrent care review requests that involve nonurgent situations (five calendar days). The clarification results in deadlines that more closely reflect the deadlines in the federal Department of Labor regulations made applicable to health insurers by the PPACA. The five calendar day deadline for nonurgent preservice review requests is more favorable to consumers than the fifteen day deadline in the federal regulations.

     Subsections (6)(b)(iii) and (iv), the amendments to WAC 284-43-410 change the deadline for carriers to respond to urgent care review requests to twenty-four hours from the forty-eight hour deadline included in the CR-102 published text. This change will apply to claims filed on or after July 1, 2011, which is when a twenty-four hour deadline for urgent care claims will be applied to insurers under the new federal regulations dealing with claims processes and appeals. This change is made to ensure the state rule has deadlines that are equal to, or more favorable to the consumer, than the deadlines adopted in the new federal regulations.

     Subsection (6)(c)(ii), language is added to clarify that in situations involving urgent care review requests, carriers may provide notice of an adverse determination to providers and covered persons by phone, provided that they also provide a written or electronic notice that meets federal Department of Labor standards within three days of the oral notification. This provision is identical to an adverse determination notice requirement in the federal Department of Labor regulations.

     A final cost-benefit analysis is available by contacting Kacy Scott, P.O. Box 40258, Olympia, WA 98504-0258, phone (360) 725-7041, fax (360) 586-3109, e-mail kacys@oic.wa.gov.

     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 1, 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 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 1, Repealed 0.

     Date Adopted: November 10, 2010.

Mike Kreidler

Insurance Commissioner

OTS-3094.9

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending Matter No. R 2000-02, filed 1/9/01, effective 7/1/01)

WAC 284-43-410   Utilization review -- Generally.   (1) These definitions apply to this section:

     (a) "Concurrent care review request" means any request for an extension of a previously authorized inpatient stay or a previously authorized ongoing outpatient service, e.g., physical therapy, home health, etc.

     (b) "Immediate review request" means any request for approval of an intervention, care or treatment where passage of time without treatment would, in the judgment of the provider, result in an imminent emergency room visit or hospital admission and deterioration of the patient's health status. Examples of situations that do not qualify under an immediate review request include, but are not limited to, situations where:

     (i) The requested service was prescheduled, was not an emergency when scheduled, and there has been no change in the patient's condition;

     (ii) The requested service is experimental or in a clinical trial;

     (iii) The request is for the convenience of the patient's schedule or physician's schedule; and

     (iv) The results of the requested service are not likely to lead to an immediate change in the patient's treatment.

     (c) "Nonurgent preservice review request" means any request for approval of care or treatment where the request is made in advance of the patient obtaining medical care or services and is not an urgent care request.

     (d) "Postservice review request" means any request for approval of care or treatment that has already been received by the patient.

     (e) "Urgent care review request" means any request for approval of care or treatment where the passage of time could seriously jeopardize the life or health of the patient, seriously jeopardize the patient's ability to regain maximum function, or, in the opinion of a physician with knowledge of the patient's medical condition, would subject the patient to severe pain that cannot be adequately managed without the care or treatment that is the subject of the request.

     (2) Each carrier ((shall)) must maintain a documented utilization review program description and written clinical review criteria based on reasonable medical evidence. The program must include a method for reviewing and updating criteria. Carriers ((shall)) must make clinical review criteria available upon request to participating providers. A carrier need not use medical evidence or standards in its utilization review of religious nonmedical treatment or religious nonmedical nursing care.

     (((2))) (3) The utilization review program ((shall)) must meet accepted national certification standards such as those used by the National Committee for Quality Assurance except as otherwise required by this chapter and ((shall)) must have staff who are properly qualified, trained, supervised, and supported by explicit written clinical review criteria and review procedures.

     (((3))) (4) Each carrier when conducting utilization review ((shall)) must:

     (a) Accept information from any reasonably reliable source that will assist in the certification process;

     (b) Collect only the information necessary to certify the admission, procedure or treatment, length of stay, or frequency or duration of services;

     (c) Not routinely require providers or facilities to numerically code diagnoses or procedures to be considered for certification, but may request such codes, if available;

     (d) Not routinely request copies of medical records on all patients reviewed;

     (e) Require only the section(s) of the medical record during prospective review or concurrent review necessary in that specific case to certify medical necessity or appropriateness of the admission or extension of stay, frequency or duration of service;

     (f) For prospective and concurrent review, base review determinations solely on the medical information obtained by the carrier at the time of the review determination;

     (g) For retrospective review, base review determinations solely on the medical information available to the attending physician or order provider at the time the health service was provided;

     (h) Not retrospectively deny coverage for emergency and nonemergency care that had prior authorization under the plan's written policies at the time the care was rendered unless the prior authorization was based upon a material misrepresentation by the provider;

     (i) Not retrospectively deny coverage or payment for care based upon standards or protocols not communicated to the provider or facility within a sufficient time period for the provider or facility to modify care in accordance with such standard or protocol; and

     (j) Reverse its certification determination only when information provided to the carrier is materially different from that which was reasonably available at the time of the original determination.

     (((4))) (5) Each carrier ((shall)) must reimburse reasonable costs of medical record duplication for reviews.

     (((5))) (6) Each carrier ((shall)) must have written procedures to assure that reviews and second opinions are conducted in a timely manner.

     (a) Review ((determinations must be made within two business days of receipt of the necessary information on a proposed admission or service requiring a review determination)) time frames must be appropriate to the severity of the patient condition and the urgency of the need for treatment, as documented in the review request.

     (b) ((The frequency of reviews for the extension of initial determinations must be based upon the severity or complexity of the patient's condition or on necessary treatment and discharge planning activity.)) If the review request from the provider is not accompanied by all necessary information, the carrier must tell the provider what additional information is needed and the deadline for its submission. Upon the sooner of the receipt of all necessary information or the expiration of the deadline for providing information, the time frames for carrier review determination and notification must be no less favorable than federal Department of Labor standards, as follows:

     (i) For immediate request situations, within one business day when the lack of treatment may result in an emergency visit or emergency admission;

     (ii) For concurrent review requests that are also urgent care review requests, as soon as possible, taking into account the medical exigencies, and no later than twenty-four hours, provided that the request is made at least twenty-four hours prior to the expiration of previously approved period of time or number of treatments;

     (iii) For urgent care review requests received before July 1, 2011, within forty-eight hours;

     (iv) For urgent care review requests received on or after July 1, 2011, within twenty-four hours;

     (v) For nonurgent preservice review requests, including nonurgent concurrent review requests, within five calendar days; or

     (vi) For postservice review requests, within thirty calendar days.

     (c) ((Retrospective review determinations must be completed within thirty days of receipt of the necessary information.

     (d))) Notification of the determination ((shall)) must be provided as follows:

     (i) Information about whether a request was approved or denied must be made available to the attending physician ((or)), ordering provider ((or)), facility, and ((to the)) covered person ((within two days of the determination and shall be provided within one day of concurrent review determination)). Carriers must at a minimum make the information available on their web site or from their call center.

     (ii) Whenever there is an adverse determination the carrier must notify the ordering provider or facility and the covered person. The carrier must inform the parties in advance whether it will provide notification by phone, mail, fax, or other means. For an adverse determination involving an urgent care review request, the carrier may initially provide notice by phone, provided that a written or electronic notification meeting United States Department of Labor standards is furnished within three days of the oral notification.

     (d) As appropriate to the type of request, notification ((shall)) must include the number of extended days, the next anticipated review point, the new total number of days or services approved, and the date of admission or onset of services.

     (((6))) (e) The frequency of reviews for the extension of initial determinations must be based on the severity or complexity of the patient's condition or on necessary treatment and discharge planning activity.

     (7) No carrier may penalize or threaten a provider or facility with a reduction in future payment or termination of participating provider or participating facility status because the provider or facility disputes the carrier's determination with respect to coverage or payment for health care service.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 48.02.060, 48.18.120, 48.20.450, 48.20.460, 48.30.010, 48.44.050, 48.46.100, 48.46.200, 48.43.505, 48.43.510, 48.43.515, 48.43.520, 48.43.525, 48.43.530, 48.43.535. 01-03-033 (Matter No. R 2000-02), § 284-43-410, filed 1/9/01, effective 7/1/01.]

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