WAC 182-538-050  Definitions

Effective April 23, 2022

The following definitions and abbreviations and those found in chapter 182-500 WAC apply to this chapter. If conflict exists, this chapter takes precedence.

"Administrative hearing" means an evidentiary adjudicative proceeding before an administrative law judge or presiding officer that is available to an enrollee under chapter 182-526 WAC according to RCW 74.09.741.

"Adverse benefit determination" means one or more of the following:

(a) The denial or limited authorization of a requested service, including determinations based on the type or level of service, requirements for medical necessity, appropriateness, setting, or effectiveness of a covered benefit;

(b) The reduction, suspension, or termination of a previously authorized service;

(c) The denial, in whole or in part, of payment for a service;

(d) The failure to provide services in a timely manner, as defined by the state;

(e) The failure of a managed care organization (MCO) to act within the time frames provided in 42 C.F.R. Sec. 438.408 (a), (b)(1) and (2) for standard resolution of grievances and appeals; or

(f) For a resident of a rural area with only one MCO, the denial of an enrollee's request to exercise the enrollee's right to obtain services outside the network under 42 C.F.R. Sec. 438.52 (b)(2)(ii).

"Agency" - See WAC 182-500-0010.

"Appeal" means a review by an MCO of an adverse benefit determination.

"Apple health foster care (AHFC)" means the managed care program developed by the agency and the department of social and health services to serve children and youth in foster care and adoption support and young adult alumni of the foster care program.

"Assign" or "assignment" means the agency selects an MCO to serve a client who has not selected an MCO.

"Auto enrollment" means the agency has automatically enrolled a client into an MCO in the client's area of residence.

"Behavioral health" - See WAC 182-538D-0200.

"Behavioral health administrative service organization (BH-ASO)" means an entity selected by the medicaid agency to administer behavioral health services and programs, including crisis services for all people in an integrated managed care regional service area. The BH-ASO administers crisis services for all people in its defined regional service area, regardless of a person's ability to pay.

"Behavioral health services only (BHSO)" means the program in which enrollees only receive behavioral health benefits through a managed care delivery system.

 "Child or youth with special health care needs" means a client under age 19 who is:
(a) Eligible for supplemental security income under Title XVI of the Social Security Act;
(b) Eligible for medicaid under section 1902(e)(3) of the Social Security Act;
(c) In foster care or other out-of-home placement;
(d) Receiving foster care or adoption assistance; or 
(e) Receiving services through a family-centered, community based, coordinated care system that receives grant funds under section 501(a)(1)(D) of Title V of the Social Security Act. 

"Client" - See WAC 182-500-0020.

"Disenrollment" - See "end enrollment."

"Emergency medical condition" means a condition meeting the definition in 42 C.F.R. Sec. 438.114(a).

"Emergency services" means services defined in 42 C.F.R. Sec. 438.114(a).

"End enrollment" means ending the enrollment of an enrollee for one of the reasons outlined in WAC 182-538-130.

"Enrollee" means a person eligible for any Washington apple health program enrolled in managed care with an MCO or PCCM provider that has a contract with the state.

"Enrollee's representative" means a person with a legal right or written authorization from the enrollee to act on behalf of the enrollee in making decisions.

"Enrollees with special health care needs" means enrollees having chronic and disabling conditions and the conditions:

(a) Have a biologic, psychologic, or cognitive basis;

(b) Have lasted or are virtually certain to last for at least one year; and

(c) Produce one or more of the following conditions stemming from a disease:

(i) Significant limitation in areas of physical, cognitive, or emotional function;

(ii) Dependency on medical or assistive devices to minimize limitation of function or activities; or

(iii) In addition, for children, any of the following:

(A) Significant limitation in social growth or developmental function;

(B) Need for psychological, educational, medical, or related services over and above the usual for the child's age; or

(C) Special ongoing treatments, such as medications, special diet, interventions, or accommodations at home or school.

"Exemption" means agency approval of a client's preenrollment request to remain in the fee-for-service delivery system for one of the reasons outlined in WAC 182-538-130.

"Fully integrated managed care (FIMC)" - See integrated managed care.

"Grievance" means an expression of dissatisfaction about any matter other than an adverse benefit determination.

"Grievance and appeal system" means the processes the MCO implements to handle appeals of adverse benefit determinations and grievances, as well as the processes to collect and track information about them.

"Health care service" or "service" means a service or item provided for the prevention, cure, or treatment of an illness, injury, disease, or condition.

"Integrated managed care (IMC)" means the program under which a managed care organization provides:

(a) Physical health services funded by medicaid; and

(b) Behavioral health services funded by medicaid, and other available resources provided for in chapters 182-538B, 182-538C, and 182-538D WAC.

"Managed care" means a comprehensive health care delivery system that includes preventive, primary, specialty, and ancillary services. These services are provided through either an MCO or PCCM provider.

"Managed care contract" means the agreement between the agency and an MCO to provide prepaid contracted services to enrollees.

"Managed care organization" or "MCO" means an organization having a certificate of authority or certificate of registration from the office of insurance commissioner that contracts with the agency under a comprehensive risk contract to provide prepaid health care services to enrollees under the agency's managed care programs.

"Mandatory enrollment" means the agency's requirement that a client enroll in managed care.

"Mandatory service area" means a service area in which eligible clients are required to enroll in an MCO.

"Nonparticipating provider" means a person, health care provider, practitioner, facility, or entity acting within their scope of practice and licensure that:

(a) Provides health care services to enrollees; and

(b) Does not have a written agreement with the managed care organization (MCO) to participate in the MCO's provider network.

"Participating provider" means a person, health care provider, practitioner, or entity acting within their scope of practice and licensure with a written agreement with the MCO to provide services to enrollees.

"Patient days of care" means all voluntary patients and involuntarily committed patients under chapter 71.05 RCW, regardless of where in the state hospital the patients reside. Patients who are committed to the state hospital under chapter 10.77 RCW are not included in the patient days of care. Patients who are committed under RCW 10.77.088 by municipal or district courts after failed competency restoration and dismissal of misdemeanor charges are not counted in the patient days of care until a petition for 90 days of civil commitment under chapter 71.05 RCW has been filed in court. Patients who are committed under RCW 10.77.086 by a superior court after failed competency restoration and dismissal of felony charges are not counted in the patient days of care until the patient is civilly committed under chapter 71.05 RCW.

"Primary care case management" or "PCCM" means the health care management activities of a provider that contracts with the agency to provide primary health care services and to arrange and coordinate other preventive, specialty, and ancillary health services.

"Primary care provider" or "PCP" means a person licensed or certified under Title 18 RCW including, but not limited to, a physician, an advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP), naturopath, or a physician assistant who supervises, coordinates, and provides health services to a client or an enrollee, initiates referrals for specialist and ancillary care, and maintains the client's or enrollee's continuity of care.

"Regional service area (RSA)" means a single county or multi-county grouping formed for the purpose of health care purchasing and designated by the agency and the department of social and health services.

"Timely" concerning the provision of services, means an enrollee has the right to receive medically necessary health care as expeditiously as the enrollee's health condition requires. Concerning authorization of services and grievances and appeals, "timely" means according to the agency's managed care program contracts and the time frames stated in this chapter.

"Wraparound with intensive services (WISe)" is a program that provides comprehensive behavioral health services and support to:

(a) Medicaid-eligible people age 20 or younger with complex behavioral health needs; and

(b) Their families.

WAC 182-500-0070 Medical assistance definitions -- M.

Effective July 1, 2019

"Medicaid" means the federal medical aid program under Title XIX of the Social Security Act that provides health care to eligible people.

"Medicaid agency" means the state agency that administers the medicaid program. The Washington state health care authority (HCA) is the state's medicaid agency.

"Medicaid transformation project" refers to the demonstration granted to the state by the federal government under section 1115 of the Social Security Act. Under this demonstration, the federal government allows the state to engage in a five-year demonstration to support health care systems, to implement reform, and to provide new targeted medicaid services to eligible clients with significant needs.

"Medical assistance" is the term the agency and its predecessors use to mean all federal or state-funded health care programs, or both, administered by the agency or its designees. Medical assistance programs are referred to as Washington apple health.

"Medical care services (MCS)" means the limited scope health care program financed by state funds for clients who are eligible for the aged, blind, or disabled (ABD) cash assistance (see WAC 388-400-0060) or the housing and essential needs (HEN) referral program (see WAC 388-400-0065) and not eligible for other full-scope programs due to their citizenship or immigration status.

"Medical consultant" means a physician employed by or contracted with the agency or the agency's designee.

"Medical facility" means a medical institution or clinic that provides health care services.

"Medical institution" See "institution" in WAC 182-500-0050.

"Medical services card" or "services card" means the card the agency issues at the initial approval of a person's Washington apple health benefit. The card identifies the person's name and medical services identification number but is not proof of eligibility. The card may be replaced upon request if it is lost or stolen, but is not required to access health care through Washington apple health.

"Medically necessary" is a term for describing requested service which is reasonably calculated to prevent, diagnose, correct, cure, alleviate or prevent worsening of conditions in the client that endanger life, or cause suffering or pain, or result in an illness or infirmity, or threaten to cause or aggravate a handicap, or cause physical deformity or malfunction. There is no other equally effective, more conservative or substantially less costly course of treatment available or suitable for the client requesting the service. For the purposes of this section, "course of treatment" may include mere observation or, where appropriate, no medical treatment at all.

"Medically needy (MN)" or "medically needy program (MNP)" means the state and federally funded health care program available to specific groups of people who would be eligible as categorically needy (CN), except their monthly income is above the CN standard. Some long-term care clients with income or resources above the CN standard may also qualify for MN.

"Medically needy income level (MNIL)" means the standard the agency uses to determine eligibility under the medically needy program. See WAC 182-519-0050.

"Medicare" is the federal government health insurance program under Titles II and XVIII of the Social Security Act. For additional information, see www.Medicare.gov.

"Medicare assignment" means the process by which a provider agrees to provide services to a medicare beneficiary and accept medicare's payment for the services.

"Medicare cost-sharing" means out-of-pocket medical expenses related to services provided by medicare. For clients enrolled in medicare, cost-sharing may include Part A and Part B premiums, coinsurance, deductibles, and copayments for medicare services. See chapter 182-517 WAC.

"Minimum essential coverage" means coverage under 26 U.S.C Sec. 5000A (f).

"Modified adjusted gross income (MAGI)" means the adjusted gross income as determined by the Internal Revenue Service under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (IRC) increased by:

       (a) Any amount excluded from gross income under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 911;

       (b) Any amount of interest received or accrued by the client during the taxable year which is exempt from tax; and

       (c) Any amount of Title II Social Security income or Tier 1 railroad retirement benefits excluded from gross income under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 86. See chapter 182-509 WAC for additional rules regarding MAGI.

WAC 182-538-060 Managed care choice and assignment.

Effective October 25, 2020

1. The medicaid agency requires a client to enroll in integrated managed care (IMC) when that client:
   1. Is eligible for one of the Washington apple health programs for which enrollment is mandatory;
   2. Resides in an area where enrollment is mandatory; and
   3. Is not exempt from IMC enrollment and the agency has not ended the client's managed care enrollment, consistent with WAC 182-538-130.
2. American Indian and Alaska native (AI/AN) clients and their descendants may choose one of the following:
   1. Enrollment with a managed care organization (MCO) available in their regional service area;
   2. Enrollment with a PCCM provider through a tribal clinic or urban Indian center available in their area; or
   3. The agency's fee-for-service system for physical health or behavioral health or both.
3. To enroll with an MCO or PCCM provider, a client may:
   1. Enroll online via the Washington Healthplanfinder at https://www.wahealthplanfinder.org ;
   2. Call the agency's toll-free enrollment line at 800-562-3022; or
   3. Go to the ProviderOne client portal at https://www.waproviderone.org/client and follow the instructions.
4. An enrollee in IMC must enroll with an MCO available in the regional service area where the enrollee resides.
5. All family members will be enrolled with the same MCO, except family members of an enrollee placed in the patient review and coordination (PRC) program under WAC 182-501-0135 need not enroll in the same MCO as the family member placed in the PRC program.
6. An enrollee may be placed into the PRC program by the MCO or the agency. An enrollee placed in the PRC program must follow the enrollment requirements of the program as stated in WAC 182-501-0135.
7. When a client requests enrollment with an MCO or PCCM provider, the agency enrolls a client effective the earliest possible date given the requirements of the agency's enrollment system.
8. The agency assigns a client who does not choose an MCO or PCCM provider as follows:
   1. If the client was enrolled with an MCO or PCCM provider within the previous six months, the client is reenrolled with the same MCO or PCCM provider;
   2. If (a) of this subsection does not apply and the client has a family member enrolled with an MCO, the client is enrolled with that MCO;
   3. The client is reenrolled within the previous six months with their prior MCO plan if:
      1. The agency identifies the prior MCO and the program is available; and
      2. The client does not have a family member enrolled with an agency-contracted MCO or PCCM provider.
   4. If the client has a break in eligibility of less than two months, the client will be automatically reenrolled with his or her previous MCO or PCCM provider and no notice will be sent; or
   5. If the client cannot be assigned according to (a), (b), (c), or (d) of this subsection, the agency:
      1. Assigns the client according to agency policy, or this rule, or both;
      2. Does not assign clients to any MCO that has a total statewide market share of forty percent or more of clients who are enrolled in apple health IMC. On a quarterly basis, the agency reviews enrollment data to determine each MCO's statewide market share in apple health IMC;
      3. Applies performance measures associated with increasing or reducing assignment consistent with this rule and agency policy or its contracts with MCOs.
   6. If the client cannot be assigned according to (a) or (b) of this subsection, the agency assigns the client as follows:
      1. If a client who is not AI/AN does not choose an MCO, the agency assigns the client to an MCO available in the area where the client resides. The MCO is responsible for primary care provider (PCP) choice and assignment.
      2. For clients who are newly eligible or who have had a break in eligibility of more than six months, the agency sends a written notice to each household of one or more clients who are assigned to an MCO. The assigned client has ten calendar days to contact the agency to change the MCO assignment before enrollment is effective. The notice includes:
         1. The agency's toll-free number;
         2. The toll-free number and name of the MCO to which each client has been assigned;
         3. The effective date of enrollment; and
         4. The date by which the client must respond in order to change the assignment.
9. An MCO enrollee's selection of a PCP or assignment to a PCP occurs as follows:
   1. An MCO enrollee may choose:
      1. A PCP or clinic that is in the enrollee's MCO and accepting new enrollees; or
      2. A different PCP or clinic participating with the enrollee's MCO for different family members.
   2. The MCO assigns a PCP or clinic that meets the access standards set forth in the relevant managed care contract if the enrollee does not choose a PCP or clinic.
   3. An MCO enrollee may change PCPs or clinics in an MCO for any reason, with the change becoming effective no later than the beginning of the month following the enrollee's request.
   4. An MCO enrollee may file a grievance with the MCO if the MCO does not approve an enrollee's request to change PCPs or clinics.
   5. MCO enrollees required to participate in the agency's PRC program may be limited in their right to change PCPs (see WAC 182-501-0135).

WAC 182-500-0065 Definitions -- L.

Effective September 24, 2022

"Limitation extension" see WAC 182-501-0169.

"Limited casualty program (LCP)" means the medically needy (MN) program.

"Long-term civil commitment" means inpatient mental health treatment for clients on 90-day or 180-day court orders whose treatment is authorized by the agency in agency-contracted beds.

WAC 182-500-0050 Washington apple health definitions -- I.

Effective April 23, 2022

"Ineligible spouse" see "spouse" in WAC 182-500-0100.

"Institution" means an entity that furnishes (in single or multiple facilities) food, shelter, and some treatment or services to four or more people unrelated to the proprietor. Eligibility for Washington apple health program may vary depending upon the type of institution in which an individual resides. For the purposes of apple health programs, "institution" includes all the following:

1. "Institution for mental diseases (IMD)" -- A hospital, nursing facility, or other institution of more than 16 beds that is primarily engaged in providing diagnosis, treatment or care of people with mental diseases, including medical attention, nursing care and related services. An IMD may include inpatient substance use disorder (SUD) facilities of more than 16 beds which provide residential treatment for SUD.
2. "Intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IID)" -- An institution or distinct part of an institution that is:
   1. Defined in 42 CFR 440.150;
   2. Certified to provide ICF/IID services under 42 CFR 483, Subpart I; and
   3. Primarily for the diagnosis, treatment, or rehabilitation for people with intellectual disabilities or a related condition.
3. "Medical institution" -- An entity that is organized to provide medical care, including nursing and convalescent care. The terms "medical facility" and "medical institution" are sometimes used interchangeably throughout Title 182 WAC.
   1. To meet the definition of medical institution, the entity must:
      1. Be licensed as a medical institution under state law;
      2. Provide medical care, with the necessary professional personnel, equipment, and facilities to manage the health needs of the patient on a continuing basis under acceptable standards; and
      3. Include adequate physician and nursing care.
   2. Medical institutions include:
      1. "Hospice care center"--An entity licensed by the department of health (DOH) to provide hospice services. Hospice care centers must be medicare-certified, and approved by the agency or the agency's designee to be considered a medical institution.
      2. "Hospital"--Defined in WAC 182-500-0045.
      3. "Nursing facility (NF)"--An entity certified to provide skilled nursing care and long-term care services to medicaid recipients under Social Security Act Sec. 1919(a), 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396r. Nursing facilities that may become certified include nursing homes licensed under chapter 18.51 RCW, and nursing facility units within hospitals licensed by DOH under chapter 70.41 RCW. This includes the nursing facility section of a state veteran's facility.
      4. "Psychiatric hospital"--An institution, or a psychiatric unit located in a hospital, licensed as a hospital under applicable Washington state laws and rules, that is primarily engaged to provide psychiatric services for the diagnosis and treatment of mentally ill people under the supervision of a physician.
      5. "Psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF)" -- A nonhospital residential treatment center licensed by DOH, and certified by the agency or the agency's designee to provide psychiatric inpatient services to medicaid-eligible people age 21 and younger. A PRTF must be accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) or any other accrediting organization with comparable standards recognized by Washington state. A PRTF must meet the requirements in 42 CFR 483, Subpart G, regarding the use of restraint and seclusion.
      6. "Residential habilitation center (RHC)"--A residence operated by the state under chapter 71A.20 RCW that serves people who have exceptional care and treatment needs due to their developmental disabilities by providing residential care designed to develop individual capacities to their optimum. RHCs provide residential care and may be certified to provide ICF/MR services and nursing facility services.
   3. Medical institutions do not include entities licensed by the agency or the agency's designee as adult family homes (AFHs) and boarding homes. AFHs and boarding homes include assisted living facilities, adult residential centers, enhanced adult residential centers, and developmental disability group homes.
4. "Public institution" means an entity that is the responsibility of a governmental unit or over which a governmental unit exercises administrative control.
   1. Public institutions include:
      1. Correctional facility -- An entity such as a state prison, or city, county, or tribal jail, or juvenile rehabilitation or juvenile detention facility.
      2. Eastern and Western State mental hospitals. (Medicaid coverage for these institutions is limited to people age 21 and younger, and people age 65 and older.)
      3. Certain facilities administered by Washington state's department of veteran's affairs (see (b) of this subsection for facilities that are not considered public institutions).
   2. Public institutions do not include intermediate care facilities, entities that meet the definition of medical institution (such as Harborview Medical Center and University of Washington Medical Center), or facilities in Retsil, Orting, and Spokane that are administered by the department of veteran's affairs and licensed as nursing facilities.

"Institution for mental diseases (IMD)" see "institution" in this section.
"Institution review board" - A board or committee responsible for reviewing research protocols and determining whether:

1. Risks to subjects are minimized;
2. Risks to subjects are reasonable in relation to anticipated benefits, if any, to subjects, and the importance of the knowledge that may reasonably be expected to result;
3. Selection of subjects is equitable;
4. Informed consent will be sought from each prospective subject or the subject's legally authorized representative;
5. Informed consent will be appropriately documented;
6. When appropriate, the research plan makes adequate provision for monitoring the data collected to ensure the safety of subjects;
7. When appropriate, there are adequate provisions to protect the privacy of subjects and to maintain the confidentiality of data; and
8. When some or all of the subjects are likely to be vulnerable to coercion or undue influence, such as children, prisoners, pregnant people, mentally disabled persons, or economically or educationally disadvantaged persons, additional safeguards have been included in the study to protect the rights and welfare of these subjects.

"Institutionalized spouse" see "spouse" in WAC 182-500-0100.

"Intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IID)" see "institution" in this section.

WAC 182-500-0045 Medical assistance definitions -- H.

Effective January 9, 2014

"Health benefit exchange" means the public-private partnership created pursuant to chapter 43.71 RCW.

"Health insurance premium tax credit (HIPTC)" is a premium tax credit that is refundable and can also be paid in advance from the Internal Revenue Service to a taxpayer's insurance company to help cover the cost of premiums for a taxpayer enrolled in a qualified health plan (QHP) through the health benefit exchange. This tax credit is specified in Section 36B of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

"Health maintenance organization (HMO)" means an entity licensed by the office of the insurance commissioner to provide comprehensive medical services directly to an eligible enrolled client in exchange for a premium paid by the agency on a prepaid capitation risk basis.

"Health care professional" means a provider of health care services licensed or certified by the state in which they practice.

"Health care service category" means a grouping of health care services listed in the table in WAC 182-501-0060. A health care service category is included or excluded depending on the client's medical assistance benefits package.

"Home health agency" means an agency or organization certified under medicare to provide comprehensive health care on a part-time or intermittent basis to a patient in the patient's place of residence.

"Hospital" means an entity that is licensed as an acute care hospital in accordance with applicable state laws and rules, or the applicable state laws and rules of the state in which the entity is located when the entity is out-of-state, and is certified under Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act. The term "hospital" includes a medicare or state-certified distinct rehabilitation unit or a psychiatric hospital.

WAC 182-500-0040 Medical assistance definitions -- G.

Effective July 1, 2011

"Grandfathered client" means a noninstitutionalized person who meets all current requirements for medicaid eligibility except the criteria for blindness or disability; and:

1. Was eligible for medicaid in December 1973 as blind or disabled whether or not the person was receiving cash assistance in December 1973;
2. Continues to meet the criteria for blindness or disability and other conditions of eligibility used under the medicaid plan in December 1973; or
3. Was an institutionalized person who:
   1. Was eligible for medicaid in December 1973, or any part of that month, as an inpatient of a medical institution or a resident of a facility that is known as an intermediate care facility that was participating in the medicaid program and for each consecutive month after December 1973; and
   2. Continues to meet the requirements for medicaid eligibility that were in effect under the state's plan in December 1973 for institutionalized persons and remains institutionalized.

WAC 182-500-0030 Definitions -- E.

Effective March 8, 2019

"Early and periodic screening, diagnosis and treatment (EPSDT)" is a comprehensive child health program that entitles infants, children, and youth to preventive care and treatment services. EPSDT is available to people age twenty and younger who are eligible for any agency health care program. Access and services for EPSDT are governed by federal rules at 42 C.F.R., Part 441, Subpart B. See chapter 182-534 WAC.

"Early elective delivery" means any nonmedically necessary induction or cesarean section before thirty-nine weeks of gestation. Thirty-nine weeks of gestation is greater than thirty-eight weeks and six days.

"Electronic signature" means a signature in electronic form attached to or associated with an electronic record including, but not limited to, a digital signature.

"Emergency medical condition" means the sudden onset of a medical condition (including labor and delivery) manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in:

(a) Placing the patient's health in serious jeopardy;

(b) Serious impairment to bodily functions; or

(c) Serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.

"Employer-sponsored dependent coverage" means creditable health coverage for dependents offered by a family member's employer or union, for which the employer or union may contribute in whole or in part towards the premium. Extensions of such coverage (e.g., COBRA extensions) also qualify as employer-sponsored dependent coverage as long as there remains a contribution toward the premiums by the employer or union.

"Evidence-based medicine (EBM)" means the application of a set of principles and a method for the review of well-designed studies and objective clinical data to determine the level of evidence that proves to the greatest extent possible, that a health care service is safe, effective, and beneficial when making:

(a) Population-based health care coverage policies (WAC 182-501-0055 describes how the agency or its designee determines coverage of services for its health care programs by using evidence and criteria based on health technology assessments); and

(b) Individual medical necessity decisions (WAC 182-501-0165 describes how the agency or its designee uses the best evidence available to determine if a service is medically necessary as defined in WAC 182-500-0030).

"Exception to rule." See WAC 182-501-0160 for exceptions to noncovered health care services, supplies, and equipment. See WAC 182-503-0090 for exceptions to program eligibility.

"Expedited prior authorization (EPA)" means the process for obtaining authorization for selected health care services in which providers use a set of numeric codes to indicate to the agency or the agency's designee which acceptable indications, conditions, or agency or agency's designee-defined criteria are applicable to a particular request for authorization. EPA is a form of "prior authorization."

"Extended care services" means nursing and rehabilitative care in a skilled nursing facility provided to a recently hospitalized medicare patient.

WAC 182-500-0025 Definitions -- D.

Effective January 27, 2019

"Delayed certification" means agency or the agency's designee approval of a person's eligibility for medical assistance made after the established application processing time limits.

"Dental consultant" means a dentist employed or contracted by the agency or the agency's designee.

"Department" means the state department of social and health services.

"Disabled" means unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that:

       a. Can be expected to result in death;

       b. Has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve months; or

       c. In the case of a child age seventeen or younger, means any physical or mental impairment of comparable severity.

Decisions on SSI-related disability are subject to the authority of federal statutes and rules codified at 42 USC Sec 1382c and 20 CFR, parts 404 and 416, as amended, and controlling federal court decisions, which define the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance (OASDI) and SSI disability standard and determination process. See WAC 182-500-0015 for definition of "blind."

"Domestic partner" means an adult who meets the requirements for a valid state registered domestic partnership as established by RCW 26.60.030 and who has been issued a certificate of state registered domestic partnership from the Washington secretary of state.

"Dual eligible client" means a client who has been found eligible as a categorically needy (CN) or medically needy (MN) medicaid client and is also a medicare beneficiary. This does not include a client who is only eligible for a medicare savings program as described in chapter 182-517 WAC.

WAC 182-500-0020 Definitions -- C.

Effective November 14, 2022

"Caretaker relative" means a relative of a dependent child by blood, adoption, or marriage with whom the child is living, who assumes primary responsibility for the child's care, and who is one of the following:

(a) The child's father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, brother, sister, stepfather, stepmother, stepbrother, stepsister, uncle, aunt, first cousin, nephew, or niece.

(b) The spouse of such parent or relative (including same sex marriage or domestic partner), even after the marriage is terminated by death or divorce.

(c) Other relatives including relatives of half-blood, first cousins once removed, people of earlier generations (as shown by the prefixes of great, great-great, or great-great-great), and natural parents whose parental rights were terminated by a court order.

"Carrier" means an organization that contracts with the federal government to process claims under medicare Part B.

"Categorically needy (CN) or categorically needy program (CNP)" is the state and federally funded health care program established under Title XIX of the Social Security Act for people within medicaid-eligible categories, whose income and/or resources are at or below set standards.

"Categorically needy income level (CNIL)" is the standard used by the agency to determine eligibility under a categorically needy program.

"Categorically needy (CN) scope of care" is the range of health care services included within the scope of service categories described in WAC 182-501-0060 available to people eligible to receive benefits under a CN program. Some state-funded health care programs provide CN scope of care.

"Center of excellence" - A hospital, medical center, or other health care provider that meets or exceeds standards set by the agency for specific treatments or specialty care.

"Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)" - The federal agency that runs the medicare, medicaid and children's health insurance programs, and the federally facilitated marketplace.

"Children's health program or children's health care programs" See "Apple health for kids."

"Client" means a person who is an applicant for, or recipient of, any Washington apple health program, including managed care and long-term care. See definitions for "applicant" and "recipient" in RCW 74.09.741.

"Community spouse." See "spouse" in WAC 182-500-0100.

"Continuous eligibility" means a person continues to receive their apple health coverage without interruption throughout their certification period regardless of changes in income, household size, immigration or citizenship status, or any other factor of eligibility other than moving out-of-state or death.

"Core provider agreement" is a written contract whose terms and conditions bind each provider in the fee-for-service program to applicable federal laws, state laws, and the agency's rules, provider alerts, billing guides, and other subregulatory guidance. See WAC 182-502-0005. The core provider agreement is a unilateral contract.

"Cost-sharing" means any expenditure required by or on behalf of an enrollee with respect to essential health benefits; such term includes deductibles, coinsurance, copayments, or similar charges, but excludes premiums, balance billing amounts for nonnetwork providers, and spending for noncovered services.

"Cost-sharing reductions" means reductions in cost-sharing for an eligible person enrolled in a silver level plan in the health benefit exchange or for a person who is an American Indian or Alaska native enrolled in a qualified health plan (QHP) in the exchange.

"Couple." See "spouse" in WAC 182-500-0100.

"Covered service" is a health care service contained within a "service category" that is included in a Washington apple health (WAH) benefits package described in WAC 182-501-0060. For conditions of payment, see WAC 182-501-0050(5). A noncovered service is a specific health care service (for example, cosmetic surgery), contained within a service category that is included in a WAH benefits package, for which the agency or the agency's designee requires an approved exception to rule (ETR) (see WAC 182-501-0160). A noncovered service is not an excluded service (see WAC 182-501-0060).

"Creditable coverage" means most types of public and private health coverage, except Indian health services, that provide access to physicians, hospitals, laboratory services, and radiology services. This term applies to the coverage whether or not the coverage is equivalent to that offered under premium-based programs included in Washington apple health (WAH). Creditable coverage is described in 42 U.S.C. 300gg-3 (c)(1).