(1) The department shall adopt rules and policies providing that when persons with a mental disorder, who were enrolled in medical assistance immediately prior to confinement, are released from confinement, their medical assistance coverage will be fully reinstated on the day of their release, subject to any expedited review of their continued eligibility for medical assistance coverage that is required under federal or state law.

     (2) The department, in collaboration with the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs, the department of corrections, and the regional support networks, shall establish procedures for coordination between department field offices, institutions for mental disease, and correctional institutions, as defined in RCW 9.94.049, that result in prompt reinstatement of eligibility and speedy eligibility determinations for persons who are likely to be eligible for medical assistance services upon release from confinement. Procedures developed under this subsection must address:

     (a) Mechanisms for receiving medical assistance services applications on behalf of confined persons in anticipation of their release from confinement;

     (b) Expeditious review of applications filed by or on behalf of confined persons and, to the extent practicable, completion of the review before the person is released;

     (c) Mechanisms for providing medical assistance services identity cards to persons eligible for medical assistance services immediately upon their release from confinement; and

     (d) Coordination with the federal social security administration, through interagency agreements or otherwise, to expedite processing of applications for federal supplemental security income or social security disability benefits, including federal acceptance of applications on behalf of confined persons.

     (3) Where medical or psychiatric examinations during a person's confinement indicate that the person is disabled, the correctional institution or institution for mental diseases shall provide the department with that information for purposes of making medical assistance eligibility and enrollment determinations prior to the person's release from confinement. The department shall, to the maximum extent permitted by federal law, use the examination in making its determination whether the person is disabled and eligible for medical assistance.

     (4) For purposes of this section, "confined" or "confinement" means incarcerated in a correctional institution, as defined in RCW 9.94.049, or admitted to an institute for mental disease, as defined in 42 C.F.R. part 435, Sec. 1009 on July 24, 2005.

     (5) For purposes of this section, "likely to be eligible" means that a person:

     (a) Was enrolled in medicaid or supplemental security income or general assistance immediately before he or she was confined and his or her enrollment was terminated during his or her confinement; or

     (b) Was enrolled in medicaid or supplemental security income or general assistance at any time during the five years before his or her confinement, and medical or psychiatric examinations during the person's confinement indicate that the person continues to be disabled and the disability is likely to last at least twelve months following release.

     (6) The economic services administration shall adopt standardized statewide screening and application practices and forms designed to facilitate the application of a confined person who is likely to be eligible for medicaid.

[2005 c 503 § 12.]

NOTES:

     Correction of references -- Savings -- Severability -- 2005 c 503: See notes following RCW 71.24.015.