WAC 246-310-360   Nursing home bed need method.  For all applications where the need for nursing home beds is not deemed met as identified in RCW 70.38.115(13), the following mathematical calculation will be used as a guideline and represent only one component of evaluating need:

     (1) The department shall calculate the statewide and planning area specific estimated bed need for the projection year by multiplying the estimated statewide and planning area specific resident population for the projection year by the established ratio;

     (2) The department shall then calculate the projected current supply ratio statewide and for each planning area. The current supply ratio shall be computed from the most recent bed supply and the projection year estimate of resident population.

     (3) The department shall next determine the areas of the state that will be under the established ratio, or over the established ratio in the projection year by comparing each planning area's projected current supply ratio to the established ratio.

     (4) The department shall compare the most recent statewide bed supply with the statewide estimated bed need.

     (a) If the current statewide bed supply is greater than or equal to the statewide estimated bed need, then calculation of statewide need for new beds ends.

     (b) If the current statewide bed supply is less than the statewide estimated bed need, the department shall determine the difference between the statewide estimated bed need and the statewide current bed supply, which shall be called statewide available beds.

     (i) If the number of statewide available beds is large enough, the department shall assign to each planning area under the established ratio the number of beds necessary to bring it up to the established ratio in the projection year.

     (ii) If the number of statewide available beds is insufficient to assign each planning area under the established ratio the number of new beds necessary to bring it up to the established ratio, the department shall assign to each planning area under the established ratio a proportion of statewide available beds equal to the ratio of that planning area's bed need to reach the established ratio to the total beds required for all planning areas under the established ratio to reach the established ratio in the projection year.

     (iii) The department shall not assign more new beds to a planning area than the number which, when added to the planning area's bed supply, will raise the planning area's bed-to-population ratio to the greater of the established ratio and the statewide current ratio.



[Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.38 RCW. 96-24-052, § 246-310-360, filed 11/27/96, effective 12/28/96. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.040. 91-02-049 (Order 121), recodified as § 246-310-360, filed 12/27/90, effective 1/31/91. Statutory Authority: RCW 70.38.919. 90-12-071 (Order 062), § 248-19-805, filed 6/1/90, effective 7/1/90.]