WAC 182-20-010   Definitions.  For the purposes of these rules, the following words and phrases shall have these meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

     (1) "Community health clinic" means a public or private nonprofit tax exempt corporation with the mission of providing primary health care to low income individuals at a charge based upon ability to pay.

     (2) "Authority" means the Washington state health care authority.

     (3) "Encounter" means a face-to-face contact between a patient and a health care provider exercising independent judgment, providing primary health care, and documenting the care in the individual's health record.

     (4) "Health care provider" means any person having direct or supervisory responsibility for the delivery of health care including:

     (a) Physicians under chapters 18.57 and 18.71 RCW;

     (b) Dentists under chapter 18.32 RCW;

     (c) Advanced registered nurse practitioner under chapter 18.79 RCW;

     (d) Physician's assistant under chapters 18.71A and 18.57A RCW;

     (e) Dental hygienist under chapter 18.29 RCW;

     (f) Licensed midwife under chapter 18.50 RCW;

     (g) Federal uniformed service personnel lawfully providing health care within Washington state.

     (5) "Low-income individual" means a person with income at or below two hundred percent of federal poverty level. The poverty level has been established by Public Law 97-35 § 652 (codified at 42 USC 9847), § 673(2) (codified at 42 USC 9902 (2)) as amended; and the Poverty Income Guideline updated annually in the Federal Register.

     (6) "Primary health care" means comprehensive care that includes a basic level of preventive and therapeutic medical and/or dental care, usually delivered in an outpatient setting, and focused on improving and maintaining the individual's general health.

     (7) "Relative value unit" means a standard measure of performance based upon time to complete a clinical procedure. The formula is one unit equals ten minutes. A table is available from the authority stating the actual values.

     (8) "Administrator" means the administrator of the health care authority or the administrator's designee.

     (9) "User" means an individual having one or more primary health care encounters and counted only once during a calendar year.

     (10) "Contractor" means the community health clinic or other entity performing services funded by chapter 182-20 WAC, and shall include all employees of the contractor.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.160. 01-04-080 (Order 00-06), § 182-20-010, filed 2/7/01, effective 3/10/01. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.040. 95-12-010, § 182-20-010, filed 5/26/95, effective 6/26/95.]