Partial federal government shutdown
HCA does not anticipate any immediate impacts to our services or disruption to provider payments at this time. We will continue to monitor the situation and share updates if anything changes.
The Health Care Authority's (HCA) rulemaking page where you can find all of the agency's current rulemaking activities.
Want to stay informed about rulemaking at the Health Care Authority?
WAC and RCW are published by the Office of the Code Reviser.
Washington State requires its agencies, including HCA, to follow a specific process when adopting or revising rules. This process allows the public to give feedback on rules before they are adopted.
HCA may adopt temporary emergency rules if the rules are needed to prevent a threat to public safety, health or welfare, or if HCA must meet an immediate deadline imposed by a state or federal law, a federal rule or a court decision.
Emergency rules are generally effective for 120 days and may be extended in certain circumstances, but the emergency rule cannot become permanent until the regular rulemaking process is followed which includes public comment and a public hearing (RCW 34.05.350).
This shortened process (approximately 45 days) allows HCA to adopt or repeal a rule without a public hearing or comment process in very limited circumstances. A CR-105 Expedited Rule-Making notice and the full text of the proposed rule are publish in the Washington State Register (RCW 34.05.353).
Anyone may petition HCA to adopt, amend, or repeal a rule in accordance with RCW 34.05.330. The petitioner must send a completed Petition for Rulemaking form to the HCA Rules Coordinator or by mail to PO Box 42716, Olympia WA 98504-2716.
HCA will accept a letter in place of the Petition for Rulemaking form which contains at a minimum the information required in WAC 82-05-020. HCA has 60 days after receipt of a petition to either initiate rulemaking proceedings in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW or deny the petition in writing.
Interpretive Statements do not have the force and effect of law. They are explanatory documents intended to convey the Health Care Authority's interpretation of law and regulation as it existed at the time the statement is issued.