AN ACT Relating to aligning the quality assurance fee for the ambulance transport fund with federal regulations;
Summary
SB 6102 updates Washington’s ambulance transport quality assurance fee program to better align with federal Medicaid financing rules. The bill revises how the annual fee rate and related add-on to the Medicaid fee-for-service payment schedule are calculated, using projected ambulance transport volumes, gross receipts, and the state medical assistance percentage. It also authorizes the Washington State Health Care Authority to adjust the rate annually, seek federal approval for time-limited implementation when needed, and ensure the fee and add-on are tied to available federal financial participation.
The bill also clarifies the mechanics of the program for ambulance transport providers. It requires quarterly fee payments, sets notice and invoicing timelines, allows interest and penalties for late payment, permits deductions from Medicaid reimbursements for overdue amounts, and addresses treatment of mergers or acquisitions involving providers with outstanding obligations. Definitions are updated for terms such as ambulance transport provider, emergency ambulance transport, gross receipts, available fee amount, and the ambulance transport fund, while excluding certain public or governmental ambulance operators from the provider definition.
Impact
SB 6102 amends multiple sections of Washington law governing the ambulance transport quality assurance fee and the ambulance transport fund. Its practical effect is to recalibrate provider assessments and Medicaid payment add-ons so the program remains consistent with federal requirements and available matching funds. The bill affects ambulance transport providers, the Washington State Health Care Authority, and the Medicaid financing structure for emergency ambulance transports, while preserving the use of fee revenue and federal funds to supplement, not replace, existing ambulance transport funding.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong support for the bill. It passed the Senate Health & Long-Term Care Committee unanimously and then passed the Senate on third reading and final passage by a 49-0 vote. No committee transcript excerpts were provided, but the unanimous votes suggest broad agreement that the bill is a technical or fiscal alignment measure rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
No major opposition is reflected in the provided materials. The main issues addressed by the bill are administrative and financial: how the fee is calculated, whether the state can adjust it to match federal participation, and how late payments, penalties, and successor liability are handled. If any concern exists, it would likely come from ambulance transport providers affected by the fee assessments and collection mechanisms, but the voting record provided does not show recorded dissent.
AN ACT Relating to actions of the department of transportation to notify utility owners of projects and seek federal funding for utility relocation costs;