Reasons for this Finding: This rule making is in response to the Governor's Proclamation 20-05 declaring a State of Emergency for all counties throughout the state of Washington as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the secretary of the federal Department of Health and Human Services declaration of a public health emergency related to COVID-19. This emergency rule making is necessary to preserve the public health, safety, and general welfare by immediately allowing nonphysician practitioners the ability to order home health services, including medical supplies. This flexibility is necessary to ensure that when products and services are determined to have evidence of efficacy in treating COVID-19 or its symptoms, they are made available to clients as a covered benefit as quickly as possible.

(1) The federal government considers medical equipment, supplies, and appliances, which the medicaid agency refers to throughout this chapter as medical equipment, services under the medicaid program.

(2) The agency pays for medical equipment, including modifications, accessories, and repairs, according to agency rules and subject to the limitations and requirements in this chapter when the medical equipment is:

(a) Medically necessary, as defined in WAC 182-500-0070;

(b) Authorized, as required within this chapter, chapters 182-501 and 182-502 WAC, and the agency's published billing instructions and provider notices; and

(c) Billed according to this chapter, chapters 182-501 and 182-502 WAC, and the agency's published billing instructions and provider notices.

(3) For the initiation of medical equipment under WAC 182-551-2122, the face-to-face encounter must be related to the primary reason the client requires medical equipment and must occur no later than six months prior to the start of services.

(4) The face-to-face encounter must be conducted by the ordering physician, a nonphysician practitioner as described in WAC 182-500-0075, or the attending acute, or post-acute physician, for beneficiaries admitted to home health immediately after an acute or post-acute stay.

(5) ((If a nonphysician practitioner as described in WAC 182-500-0075 (or the attending physician when a client is discharged from an acute hospital stay) performs the face-to-face encounter, the nonphysician practitioner (or attending physician) must communicate the clinical findings of that face-to-face encounter to the ordering physician.))Physicians, advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs), and physician assistants (PAs) may complete the face-to-face encounter. Those clinical findings must be incorporated into a written or electronic document included in the client's medical record.

(6) The agency requires prior authorization for covered medical equipment when the clinical criteria set forth in this chapter are not met, including the criteria associated with the expedited prior authorization process.

(a) The agency evaluates requests requiring prior authorization on a case-by-case basis to determine medical necessity as defined in WAC 182-500-0070, according to the process found in WAC 182-501-0165.

(b) Refer to WAC 182-543-7000, 182-543-7100, 182-543-7200, and 182-543-7300 for specific details regarding authorization.

(7) The agency bases its determination about which medical equipment requires prior authorization (PA) or expedited prior authorization (EPA) on utilization criteria (see WAC 182-543-7100 for PA and WAC 182-543-7300 for EPA). The agency considers all of the following when establishing utilization criteria:

(a) Cost;

(b) The potential for utilization abuse;

(d) Safety.

(8) The agency evaluates a request for equipment that does not meet the definition of medical equipment or that is determined not medically necessary under the provisions of WAC 182-501-0160. When early and periodic screening, diagnosis and treatment (EPSDT) applies, the agency evaluates a noncovered service, equipment, or supply according to the process in WAC 182-501-0165 to determine if it is medically necessary, safe, effective, and not experimental (see WAC 182-543-0100 for EPSDT rules).

(9) The agency may terminate a provider's participation with the agency according to WAC 182-502-0030 and 182-502-0040.

(10) The agency evaluates a request for a service that meets the definition of medical equipment but has been determined to be experimental or investigational, under the provisions of WAC 182-501-0165.

(11) If the agency denies a requested service, the agency notifies the client in writing that the client may request an administrative hearing under chapter 182-526 WAC. (For MCO enrollees, see WAC 182-538-110.)

(1) During the current COVID-19 public health emergency, the face-to-face requirements of this section may be met using telemedicine or telehealth services. See WAC 182-551-2125.

(2) The medicaid agency pays for home health services provided under this chapter only when the face-to-face encounter requirements in this section are met.

(((2)))(3) For initiation of home health services, with the exception of medical equipment under WAC 182-551-2122, the face-to-face encounter must be related to the primary reason the client requires home health services and must occur within ninety days before or within the thirty days after the start of the services.

(((3)))(4) For the initiation of medical equipment under WAC 182-551-2122, the face-to-face encounter must be related to the primary reason the client requires medical equipment and must occur no later than six months prior to the start of services.

(((4)))(5) The face-to-face encounter may be conducted by the ordering physician, a nonphysician practitioner as described in WAC 182-500-0075, or the attending acute, or post-acute physician, for beneficiaries admitted to home health immediately after an acute or post-acute stay.

(((5) If a nonphysician practitioner as described in WAC 182-500-0075 (or the attending physician when a client is discharged from an acute hospital stay) performs the face-to-face encounter, the nonphysician practitioner (or attending physician) must communicate the clinical findings of that face-to-face encounter to the ordering physician.))

(6) Physicians, advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs), and physician assistants (PAs) may complete the face-to-face encounter. Those clinical findings must be incorporated into a written or electronic document included in the client's medical record.

(((6)))(7) For all home health services except medical equipment under WAC 182-551-2122, the physician, ARNP, or PA responsible for ordering the services must:

(a) Document that the face-to-face encounter, which is related to the primary reason the client requires home health services, occurred within the required time frames described in subsection (((2)))(3) of this section prior to the start of home health services; and

(b) Indicate the practitioner who conducted the encounter, and the date of the encounter.

(((7)))(8) For medical equipment under WAC 182-551-2122, except as provided in (b) of this subsection, an ordering physician, a nonphysician practitioner as described in WAC 182-500-0075, except for certified nurse midwives, or the attending physician when a client is discharged from an acute hospital stay, must:

(a) Document that the face-to-face encounter, which is related to the primary reason the client requires home health services, occurred within the required time frames described in subsection (((3)))(4) of this section prior to the start of home health services; and

(b) Indicate the practitioner who conducted the encounter, and the date of the encounter.

(((8) The face-to-face encounter may occur through telemedicine. See WAC 182-551-2125.))