74.60.140 - Multihospital locations, new hospitals, and changes in ownership.

Multihospital locations, new hospitals, and changes in ownership. (Expires July 1, 2013.)

(1) If an entity owns or operates more than one hospital subject to assessment under this chapter, the entity shall pay the assessment for each hospital separately. However, if the entity operates multiple hospitals under a single medicaid provider number, it may pay the assessment for the hospitals in the aggregate.

     (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, if a hospital subject to the assessment imposed under this chapter ceases to conduct hospital operations throughout a state fiscal year, the assessment for the quarter in which the cessation occurs shall be adjusted by multiplying the assessment computed under RCW 74.60.030 (1) and (3) by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days during the year which the hospital conducts, operates, or maintains the hospital and the denominator of which is three hundred sixty-five. Immediately prior to ceasing to conduct, operate, or maintain a hospital, the hospital shall pay the adjusted assessment for the fiscal year to the extent not previously paid.

     (3) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, in the case of a hospital that commences conducting, operating, or maintaining a hospital that is not exempt from payment of the assessment under RCW 74.60.040 and that did not conduct, operate, or maintain such hospital throughout the cost reporting year used to determine the assessment amount, the assessment for that hospital shall be computed on the basis of the actual number of nonmedicare inpatient days reported to the department by the hospital on a quarterly basis. The hospital shall be eligible to receive increased payments under this chapter beginning on the date it commences hospital operations.

     (4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, if a hospital previously subject to assessment is sold or transferred to another entity and remains subject to assessment, the assessment for that hospital shall be computed based upon the cost report data previously submitted by that hospital. The assessment shall be allocated between the transferor and transferee based on the number of days within the assessment period that each owned, operated, or maintained the hospital.

[2010 1st sp.s. c 30 § 16.]