WAC 182-550-4100. Payment method — New hospitals

(1) For rate-setting purposes, the agency considers as new: (a) A hospital which began services after the most recent rebasing; or (b) A hospital that has not been in operation for a complete fiscal year. (2) With the exception of determining psychiatric per diem rates as directed by the Washington state legislature (see WAC 182-550-3800 (6)), the agency determines a new hospital's conversion factor, per diem rate, or per case rate, to be the statewide average rate for the conversion factor, category of per diem rate, or per case rate adjusted by the geographically appropriate hospital specific medicare wage index. (3) The agency determines a new hospital's ratio of costs-to-charges (RCC) by calculating and using the average RCC for all current Washington in-state hospitals. (4) When a hospital changes ownership, the agency does not consider it a new hospital.