PDFWAC 182-546-6200
Nonemergency transportation—Reimbursement.
(1) To be reimbursed for trips, meals, or lodging, the requestor must receive prior authorization from the broker at least two business days in advance of the client's travel.
(2) A client must request reimbursement of preauthorized expenditures for trips, meals, or lodging within 30 calendar days after their medical appointment. The broker may consider reimbursement requests beyond 30 calendar days if a client shows good cause as defined in WAC 388-02-0020 for having not requested reimbursement within 30 calendar days.
(3) To be reimbursed for transportation-related services, the requestor must provide the broker with legible copies of:
(a) Itemized receipt(s);
(b) The operator's valid driver's license;
(c) Valid vehicle registration; and
(d) Proof of insurance for the vehicle/operator at the time of the trip.
(4) The agency or the broker may retroactively authorize and reimburse for transportation costs, including meals and lodging when:
(a) A client is approved for a delayed certification period as defined in WAC 182-500-0025, or for a retroactive eligibility period as defined in WAC 182-500-0095, or is retroactively eligible for a medically needy program which requires a spenddown as defined in WAC 182-500-0100;
(b) The transportation costs were not used to meet a client spenddown liability in accordance with WAC 182-519-0110;
(c) The transportation costs for which retroactive reimbursement is requested falls within the period of retroactive eligibility or delayed certification;
(d) The client received medically necessary services that were covered by the client's medical program for the date(s) of service for which retroactive reimbursement is requested; and
(e) The request for retroactive reimbursement is made within 60 calendar days from the date of eligibility notification (award letter), not to exceed eight months from the date(s) of service for which reimbursement is requested.
(5) When transportation cost(s) are retroactively authorized, the reimbursement amount must not exceed the reimbursement amount that would have been authorized prior to the date(s) of service.
(6) To be paid by the broker for nonemergency transportation services:
(a) Ambulance providers must be subcontracted with the broker in accordance with WAC 182-546-5200.
(b) Nonambulance providers must be subcontracted with the broker in accordance with WAC 182-546-5200.
(7) The agency, through its contracted brokers, does not pay for nonemergency transportation when:
(a) The health care service the client is requesting transportation to or from is not a service covered by the client's medical program;
(b) The covered health care service is within three-quarters of a mile from the pick-up point, except when:
(i) The client's documented and verifiable medical condition and personal capabilities demonstrates that the client is not able to walk three-quarters mile distance;
(ii) The trip involves an area that the broker determines is not physically accessible to the client; or
(iii) The trip involves an area that the agency's broker considers to be unsafe for the client, other riders, or the driver.
(c) The client has personal or informal transportation resources that are available and appropriate to the clients' needs;
(d) Fixed-route public transportation service is available to the client within three-quarters of a mile walking distance. Exceptions to this rule may be granted by the transportation broker when the need for more specialized transportation is documented. Examples of such a need may be the client's use of a portable ventilator, a walker, or a quad cane; or
(e) The mode of transport that the client requests is not necessary, suitable, or appropriate to the client's medical condition.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021, 41.05.160, 42 C.F.R. §§ 431.53 and 440.170. WSR 23-17-118, § 182-546-6200, filed 8/18/23, effective 9/18/23; WSR 20-05-066, § 182-546-6200, filed 2/14/20, effective 3/16/20. Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021 and 41.05.160. WSR 15-03-050, § 182-546-6200, filed 1/14/15, effective 2/14/15. WSR 11-17-032, recodified as § 182-546-6200, filed 8/9/11, effective 8/9/11. Statutory Authority: RCW 74.04.057, 74.08.090, and 74.09.500. WSR 11-15-029, § 388-546-6200, filed 7/12/11, effective 8/12/11.]