WAC 246-25-035   Consumer access to local health services in rural areas.  An applicant may petition the commission for approval of a managed health care finance and delivery system in a rural area that may violate existing antitrust law principles or provisions of WAC 245-02-040, 245-02-045 or 245-02-050 but is necessary to preserve local access to regular and ongoing health services in a rural area. In addition to the requirements set forth in WAC 245-02-110, et seq., such petitions shall include information demonstrating that the proposed system: (a) Has been developed through a community-based process that takes into consideration the concerns of local residents, health care providers, public and private health care facilities, local community organizations, and appropriate state agency health planning organizations located in or with responsibility for health services in rural areas, (b) will achieve quality improvements and cost efficiencies over present health service capabilities in the rural area, (c) will result in local access to regular and ongoing services required under the uniform benefits package, (d) will combine health care service delivery and financing, and (e) will or will not have special community governance arrangements. Nothing contained in this section shall be deemed to relieve an applicant from meeting the requirements imposed by law for registration and certification of certified health plans.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.72.310. 99-04-049, recodified as § 246-25-035, filed 1/28/99, effective 1/28/99; 95-04-115, § 245-02-035, filed 2/1/95, effective 10/1/95.]