(1) After a hearing is requested, in accordance with WAC 182-526-0025, the office of administrative hearings (OAH) must send a copy of the hearing request to the health care authority (HCA) or HCA's authorized agent who made the decision on HCA's behalf, unless OAH received the hearing request from HCA or HCA's authorized agent.
(2) OAH sends the hearing request to HCA or HCA's authorized agent within four business days of OAH receiving the request.
(3) OAH must serve all parties with a notice of hearing, which advises the parties of the hearing date, time, and location. This document is called the notice of hearing. In appropriate cases, OAH also serves a written notice of a prehearing conference.
(4) If HCA, in its sole discretion, chooses to use presiding officers employed by HCA to conduct the administrative hearing and issue the final order in a particular case, the notice of hearing will identify that the case is to be heard by an HCA-employed presiding officer and advise the parties of the hearing date and time.
(5) Before the hearing or prehearing conference is held by OAH or by an HCA-employed presiding officer:
(a) The HCA hearing representative may contact any other party to try to resolve the dispute or gather information; and
(b) The party who requested the hearing may contact the HCA hearing representative to try to resolve the dispute or gather information.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 41.05.021 and 41.05.160. WSR 26-06-049, s 182-526-0110, filed 2/25/26, effective 3/28/26; WSR 17-05-066, § 182-526-0110, filed 2/13/17, effective 3/16/17. Statutory Authority: 2011 1st sp.s. c 15 § 53, chapters 74.09, 34.05 RCW, and 10-08 WAC. WSR 13-02-007, § 182-526-0110, filed 12/19/12, effective 2/1/13.]