WAC 388-550-2600   Inpatient psychiatric services.  (1) The department, on behalf of the mental health division (MHD), regional support networks (RSNs) and prepaid inpatient health plans (PIHPs), pays for covered inpatient psychiatric services for a voluntary or involuntary inpatient psychiatric admission of an eligible medical assistance client, subject to the limitation and restrictions in this section and other published rules.

     (2) The following definitions and abbreviations and those found in WAC 388-550-0005 and 388-550-1050 apply to this section (where there is any discrepancy, this section prevails):

     (a) "Authorization number" refers to a number that is required on a claim in order for a provider to be paid for providing psychiatric inpatient services to a medical assistance client. An authorization number:

     (i) Is assigned when the certification process and prior authorization process has occurred;

     (ii) Identifies a specific request for the provision of psychiatric inpatient services to a medical assistance client;

     (iii) Verifies when prior or retrospective authorization has occurred;

     (iv) Will not be rescinded once assigned; and

     (v) Does not guarantee payment.

     (b) "Certification" means a clinical determination by an MHD designee that a client's need for a voluntary or involuntary inpatient psychiatric admission, length of stay extension, or transfer has been reviewed and, based on the information provided, meets the requirements for medical necessity for inpatient psychiatric care. The certification process occurs concurrently with the prior authorization process.

     (c) "IMD" See "institution for mental diseases."

     (d) "Institution for mental diseases (IMD)" means a hospital, nursing facility, or other institution of more than sixteen beds that is primarily engaged in providing diagnosis, treatment, or care of persons with mental diseases, including medical attention, nursing care, and related services. The MHD designates whether a facility meets the definition for an IMD.

     (e) "Involuntary admission" refer to chapters 71.05 and 71.34 RCW.

     (f) "Mental health division (MHD)" is the unit within the department of social and health services (DSHS) authorized to contract for and monitor delivery of mental health programs. MHD is also known as the state mental health authority.

     (g) "Mental health division designee" or "MHD designee" means a professional contact person authorized by MHD, who operates under the direction of a regional support network (RSN) or a prepaid inpatient health plan (PIHP).

     (h) "PIHP" see "prepaid inpatient health plan."

     (i) "Prepaid inpatient health plan (PIHP)" see WAC 388-865-0300.

     (j) "Prior authorization" means an administrative process by which hospital providers must obtain an MHD designee's for a client's inpatient psychiatric admission, length of stay extension, or transfer. The prior authorization process occurs concurrently with the certification process.

     (k) "Regional support network (RSN)" see WAC 388-865-0200.

     (l) "Retrospective authorization" means a process by which hospital providers and hospital unit providers must obtain an MHD designee's certification after services have been initiated for a medical assistance client. Retrospective authorization can be prior to discharge or after discharge. This process is allowed only when circumstances beyond the control of the hospital or hospital unit provider prevented a prior authorization request, or when the client has been determined to be eligible for medical assistance after discharge.

     (m) "RSN" see "regional support network."

     (n) "Voluntary admission" refer to chapters 71.05 and 71.34 RCW.

     (3) The following department of health (DOH)-licensed hospitals and hospital units are eligible to be paid for providing inpatient psychiatric services to eligible medical assistance clients, subject to the limitations listed:

     (a) Medicare-certified distinct part psychiatric units;

     (b) State-designated pediatric psychiatric units;

     (c) Hospitals that provide active psychiatric treatment outside of a medicare-certified or state-designated psychiatric unit, under the supervision of a physician according to WAC 246-322-170; and

     (d) Free-standing psychiatric hospitals approved as an institution for mental diseases (IMD).

     (4) An MHD designee has the authority to approve or deny a request for initial certification for a client's voluntary inpatient psychiatric admission and will respond to the hospital's or hospital unit's request for initial certification within two hours of the request. An MHD designee's certification and authorization, or a denial, will be provided within twelve hours of the request. Authorization must be requested prior to admission. If the hospital chooses to admit the client without prior authorization due to staff shortages, the request for an initial certification must be submitted the same calendar day (which begins at midnight) as the admission. In this case, the hospital assumes the risk for denial as the MHD designee may or may not authorize the care for that day.

     (5) To be paid for a voluntary inpatient psychiatric admission:

     (a) The hospital provider or hospital unit provider must meet the applicable general conditions of payment criteria in WAC 388-502-0100; and

     (b) The voluntary inpatient psychiatric admission must meet the following:

     (i) For a client eligible for medical assistance, the admission to voluntary inpatient psychiatric care must:

     (A) Be medically necessary as defined in WAC 388-500-0005;

     (B) Be ordered by an agent of the hospital who has the clinical or administrative authority to approve an admission;

     (C) Be prior authorized and meet certification and prior authorization requirements as defined in subsection (2) of this section. See subsection (8) of this section for a voluntary inpatient psychiatric admission that was not prior authorized and requires retrospective authorization by the client's MHD designee; and

     (D) Be verified by receipt of a certification form dated and signed by an MHD designee (see subsection (2) of this section). The form must document at least the following:

     (I) Ambulatory care resources available in the community do not meet the treatment needs of the client;

     (II) Proper treatment of the client's psychiatric condition requires services on an inpatient basis under the direction of a physician (according to WAC 246-322-170);

     (III) The inpatient services can reasonably be expected to improve the client's level of functioning or prevent further regression of functioning;

     (IV) The client has been diagnosed as having an emotional or behavioral disorder, or both, as defined in the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association; and

     (V) The client's principle diagnosis must be an MHD covered diagnosis.

     (ii) For a client eligible for both medicare and a medical assistance program, the department pays secondary to medicare.

     (iii) For a client eligible for both medicare and a medical assistance program and who has not exhausted medicare lifetime benefits, the hospital provider or hospital unit provider must notify the MHD designee of the client's admission if the dual eligibility status is known. The admission:

     (A) Does not require prior authorization by an MHD designee; and

     (B) Must be in accordance with medicare standards.

     (iv) For a client eligible for both medicare and a medical assistance program who has exhausted medicare lifetime benefits, the admission must have prior authorization by a MHD designee.

     (v) When a liable third party is identified (other than medicare) for a client eligible for a medical assistance program, the hospital provider or hospital unit provider must obtain a MHD designee's authorization for the admission.

     (6) To be paid for an involuntary inpatient psychiatric admission:

     (a) The involuntary inpatient psychiatric admission must be in accordance with the admission criteria specified in chapters 71.05 and 71.34 RCW; and

     (b) The hospital provider or hospital unit provider:

     (i) Must be certified by the MHD in accordance with chapter 388-865 WAC;

     (ii) Must meet the applicable general conditions of payment criteria in WAC 388-502-0100; and

     (iii) When submitting a claim, must include a completed and signed copy of an Initial Certification Authorization form Admission to Inpatient Psychiatric Care form, or an Extension Certification Authorization for Continued Inpatient Psychiatric Care form.

     (7) To be paid for providing continued inpatient psychiatric services to a medical assistance client who has already been admitted, the hospital provider or hospital unit provider must request from an MHD designee within the time frames specified, certification and authorization as defined in subsection (2) of this section for any of the following circumstances:

     (a) If the client converts from involuntary (legal) status to voluntary status, or from voluntary to involuntary (legal) status as described in chapter 71.05 or 71.34 RCW, the hospital provider or hospital unit provider must notify the MHD designee within twenty-four hours of the change. Changes in legal status may result in issuance of a new certification and authorization. Any previously authorized days under the previous legal status that are past the date of the change in legal status are not billable;

     (b) If an application is made for determination of a patient's medical assistance eligibility, the request for certification and prior authorization must be submitted within twenty-four hours of the application;

     (c) If there is a change in the client's principal ICD9-CM diagnosis to an MHD covered diagnosis, the request for certification and prior authorization must be submitted within twenty-four hours of the change;

     (d) If there is a request for a length of stay extension for the client, the request for certification and prior authorization must be submitted prior to the end of the initial authorized days of services (see subsections (11) and (12) of this section for payment methodology and payment limitations); and

     (e) If the client is to be transferred from one community hospital to another community hospital for continued inpatient psychiatric care, the request for certification and prior authorization must be submitted prior to the transfer.

     (f) If a client who has been authorized for inpatient care by the MHD designee has been discharged or left against medical advice prior to the expiration of previously authorized days, a hospital provider or hospital unit provider must notify the MHD designee within twenty-four hours of discharge. Any previously authorized days past the date the client was discharged or left the hospital are not billable.

     (8) An MHD designee has the authority to approve or deny a request for retrospective certification for a client's voluntary inpatient psychiatric admission, length of stay extension, or transfer when the hospital provider or hospital unit provider did not notify the MHD designee within the notification timeframes stated in this section. For a retrospective certification request prior to discharge, the MHD designee responds to the hospital or hospital unit within two hours of the request, and provides certification and authorization or a denial within twelve hours of the request. For retrospective certification requests after the discharge, the hospital or hospital unit must submit all the required clinical information to the MHD designee within thirty days of discharge. The MHD designee provides a response within thirty days of the receipt of the required clinical documentation. All retrospective certifications must meet the requirements in this section. An authorization or denial is based on the client's condition and the services provided at the time of admission and over the course of the hospital stay, until the date of notification or discharge, as applicable.

     (9) To be paid for a psychiatric inpatient admission of an eligible medical assistance client, the hospital provider or hospital unit provider must submit on the claim form the authorization (see subsection (2)(a) for definition of prior authorization and retrospective authorization).

     (10) The department uses the payment methods described in WAC 388-550-2650 through 388-550-5600, as appropriate, to pay a hospital and hospital unit for providing psychiatric services to medical assistance clients, unless otherwise specified in this section.

     (11) Covered days for a voluntary psychiatric admission are determined by a MHD designee utilizing MHD approved utilization review criteria.

     (12) The number of initial days authorized for an involuntary psychiatric admission is limited to twenty days from date of detention. The hospital provider or hospital unit provider must submit the Extension Certification Authorization for Continued Inpatient Psychiatric Care form twenty-four hours prior to the expiration of the previously authorized days. Extension requests may not be denied for a person detained under ITA unless a less restrictive alternative is identified by the MHD designee and approved by the court. Extension requests may not be denied for youths detained under ITA who have been referred to the children's long-term inpatient program unless a less restrictive alternative is identified by the MHD designee and approved by the court.

     (13) The department pays the administrative day rate for any authorized days that meet the administrative day definition in WAC 388-550-1050, and when all of the following conditions are met:

     (a) The client's legal status is voluntary admission;

     (b) The client's condition is no longer medically necessary;

     (c) The client's condition no longer meets the intensity of service criteria;

     (d) Less restrictive alternative treatments are not available, posing barrier to the client's safe discharge; and

     (e) The hospital or hospital unit and the MHD designee mutually agree that the administrative day is appropriate.

     (14) The hospital provider or hospital unit provider will use the MHD approved due process for conflict resolution regarding medical necessity determinations provided by the MHD designee.

     (15) In order for an MHD designee to implement and participate in a medical assistance client's plan of care, the hospital provider or hospital unit provider must provide any clinical and cost of care information to the MHD designee upon request. This requirement applies to all medical assistance clients admitted for:

     (a) Voluntary inpatient psychiatric services; and

     (b) Involuntary inpatient psychiatric services, regardless of payment source.

     (16) If the number of days billed exceeds the number of days authorized by the MHD designee for any claims paid, the department will recover any unauthorized days paid.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 74.09.500. 07-14-053, § 388-550-2600, filed 6/28/07, effective 8/1/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.08.090, 74.09.730, 74.04.050, 70.01.010, 74.09.200, [74.09.]500, [74.09.]530 and 43.20B.020. 98-01-124, § 388-550-2600, filed 12/18/97, effective 1/18/98.]