Source: http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/law/wsr/2014/11/14-11-085.htm
Timestamp: 2019-08-22 07:02:29
Document Index: 23903159

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 607', 'art 607', 'art 1271', 'art 1', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'ART 2', 'art 2', 'ART 3', 'art 4', 'ART 4', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 2', 'art 5', 'art 2', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'art 3', 'ART 5', 'art 3', 'art 2']

WSR 14-11-085
[Filed May 20, 2014, 2:59 p.m.]
Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 14-04-126.
Title of Rule and Other Identifying Information: WAC 458-20-168 (Rule 168) Hospitals, nursing homes, boarding homes assisted living facilities, adult family homes and similar health care facilities and 458-20-18801 (Rule 18801) Prescription drugs, prosthetic and orthotic devices, ostomic items, and medically prescribed oxygen. Medical substances, devices, and supplies for humans; drugs prescribed for human use; medically prescribed oxygen; prosthetic devices; mobility enhancing equipment; and durable medical equipment.
Hearing Location(s): Capital Plaza Building, 4th Floor Executive Conference Room, 1025 Union Avenue S.E., Olympia, WA, on June 24, 2014, at 1:30 p.m.
Date of Intended Adoption: July 1, 2014.
Submit Written Comments to: Gayle Carlson, P.O. Box 47453, Olympia, WA 98504-7453, e-mail GayleC@dor.wa.gov, by June 24, 2014.
Purpose of the Proposal and Its Anticipated Effects, Including Any Changes in Existing Rules: The department is proposing to revise WAC 458-20-168 and 458-20-18801 for general updating and reformatting in addition to the following:
Rule 168:
Includes changes due to legislation pertaining to blood and tissue banks, RCW 82.04.324, and that provides a deduction for amounts a health or social welfare organization receives as compensation for providing child welfare services under a government-funded program, RCW 82.04.4275.
Reflects that the hospital safe patient handling credit expired December 2010.
As the quality maintenance fee imposed on nursing homes was repealed in 2007, the subsection describing it has been removed.
References to "boarding homes" have been changed to "assisted living facilities" to correspond to the change in RCW 18.20.020.
Rule 18801:
The proposed revision has been organized into five parts:
Common sales and use tax exemptions, and
Bundled transactions.
The part for medical products has tables of examples added for:
Mobility enhancing equipment,
Over-the-counter drugs, and
A change in the title to the rule to "medical substances, devices, and supplies for humans' drugs prescribed for human use; medically prescribed oxygen; prosthetic devices; mobility enhancing equipment; and durable medical equipment" better captures the revised content.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: To update the rules to provide businesses with current tax-reporting information.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting: Gayle Carlson, 1025 Union Avenue S.E., Suite #544, Olympia, WA, (360) 534-1576; Implementation: Dylan Waits, 1025 Union Avenue S.E., Suite #544, Olympia, WA, (360) 534-1583; and Enforcement: Alan Lynn, 1025 Union Avenue S.E., Suite #544, Olympia, WA, (360) 534-1599.
No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. These rules do not impose any new performance requirements or administrative burden on any small business not required by statute.
WAC 458-20-168 Hospitals, nursing homes, ((boarding homes)) assisted living facilities, adult family homes and similar health care facilities.
(1) Introduction. ((This section explains the application of business and occupation (B&O), retail sales, and use taxes to persons operating hospitals as defined in RCW 70.41.020, nursing homes as defined in RCW 18.51.010, boarding homes as defined in RCW 18.20.020, adult family homes as defined in RCW 70.128.010, and similar health care facilities.
The department of revenue (department) has adopted other rules dealing with the taxability of various activities relating to the provision of health care. Readers may want to refer to the following rules for additional information:
(a) WAC 458-20-150 Optometrists, ophthalmologists, and opticians;
(b) WAC 458-20-151 Dentists and other health care providers, dental laboratories, and dental technicians;
(c) WAC 458-20-18801 Prescription drugs, prosthetic and orthotic devices, ostomic items, and medically prescribed oxygen; and
(d) WAC 458-20-233 Tax liability of medical and hospital service bureaus and associations and similar health care organizations.
(2) Personal and professional services of hospitals, nursing homes, boarding homes, and similar health care facilities. This subsection provides information about the application of B&O tax to the personal and professional services of hospitals, nursing homes, boarding homes, and similar health care facilities. For information regarding B&O tax deductions and exemptions for persons operating health care facilities, readers should refer to subsection (3) of this section.
(a) Public or nonprofit hospitals. The gross income of public or nonprofit hospitals derived from providing personal or professional services to inpatients, is subject to B&O tax under the public or nonprofit hospitals classification. RCW 82.04.260. For the purpose of this section, "public or nonprofit hospitals" are hospitals, as defined in RCW 70.41.020, operated as nonprofit corporations, operated by political subdivisions of the state (e.g., a hospital district operated by a county government), or operated by but not owned by the state.
Gross income of public or nonprofit hospitals derived from providing personal or professional services for persons other than inpatients is generally subject to B&O tax under the service and other activities classification. RCW 82.04.290. Thus, for example, amounts received for services provided to outpatients, income received for providing nonmedical services, interest received on patient accounts receivable, and amounts received for providing transcribing services to physicians are subject to service and other activities B&O tax.
(i) Clinics and departments operated by public or nonprofit hospitals. Gross income derived from medical clinics and departments providing services to both inpatients and outpatients and operated by a public or nonprofit hospital is subject to B&O tax under the public or nonprofit hospitals classification where the clinic or department is an integral, interrelated, and essential part of the hospital. Otherwise, the gross income derived from medical clinics and departments providing services to both inpatients and outpatients and operated by a public or nonprofit hospital is subject to B&O tax under the service and other activities classification.
Relevant factors for determining whether a medical clinic or department operated by a public or nonprofit hospital is an integral, interrelated, and essential part of the hospital include whether the clinic or department is located at the hospital facility and whether the clinic or department furnishes the type of services normally provided by hospitals, such as twenty-four hour intake and emergency services.
The following examples identify a number of facts and then state a conclusion. These examples should be used only as a general guide. The tax status of each situation must be determined after a review of all of the facts and circumstances.
(A) Acme Hospital is a nonprofit hospital. Acme has a medical clinic that is separate but physically located within the hospital. However, the clinic is open only during regular business hours and provides no domiciliary care or overnight facilities to its patients. The clinic is staffed, equipped, administered, and provides the type of medical services that one would expect to receive in the average physician's office. Acme's medical clinic is not an integral, interrelated, and essential part of Acme Hospital. Gross receipts by the medical clinic are subject to service and other activities B&O tax.
(B) Acme Hospital is a nonprofit hospital. Acme has a cancer treatment facility that is physically located within the hospital. The cancer treatment facility provides the type of services normally provided by hospitals to cancer patients. Acme's cancer treatment facility is an integral, interrelated, and essential part of Acme Hospital. Gross receipts by the cancer treatment facility are subject to public or nonprofit hospitals B&O tax.
(ii) Educational programs and services. Amounts received by public or nonprofit hospitals for providing educational programs and services to the general public are subject to B&O tax under the public or nonprofit hospitals classification if they are an integral, interrelated, and essential part of the hospital. Otherwise, such amounts are subject to B&O tax under the service and other activities classification. Educational services are considered an integral, interrelated, and essential part of the hospital only if they are unique and incidental to the provision of hospitalization services (i.e., services that will be, have been, or are currently being provided to the participants). Only those educational programs and services offered by a hospital that would be very difficult or impossible to duplicate by a person other than a hospital because of the specialized body of knowledge, facilities, and equipment required are unique and incidental to the provision of hospitalization services. Amounts derived from educational programs and services are subject to service and other activities B&O tax when the educational programs or services could be provided by any physician, clinic, or trained lay person.
(i) "Hospital" has the same meaning as in RCW 70.41.020; and
(ii) "Nursing home" has the same meaning as in RCW 18.51.010.
(c) Boarding homes. Effective July 1, 2004, persons operating boarding homes licensed under chapter 18.20 RCW are entitled to a preferential B&O tax rate. See RCW 82.04.2908. Persons operating licensed boarding homes should report their gross income derived from providing room and domiciliary care to residents under the licensed boarding homes B&O tax classification. For the purpose of this section, "boarding home" and "domiciliary care" have the same meaning as in RCW 18.20.020. Refer to subsection (3)(h) of the section for B&O tax deductions and exemptions available to boarding homes.
(d) Nonprofit corporations and associations performing research and development. There is a separate B&O tax rate that applies to nonprofit corporations and nonprofit associations for income received in performing research and development within this state, including medical research. See RCW 82.04.260.
(e) Can a nursing home or boarding home claim a B&O tax exemption for the rental of real estate? The primary purpose of a nursing home is to provide medical care to its residents. The primary purpose of boarding homes is to assume general responsibility for the safety and well-being of its residents and to provide other services to residents such as housekeeping, meals, laundry, and activities. Boarding homes may also provide residents with assistance with activities of daily living, health support services, and intermittent nursing services. Because the primary purpose of nursing homes and boarding homes is to provide services and not to lease or rent real property, no part of the gross income of a nursing home or boarding home may be exempted from B&O tax as the rental of real estate.
(f) Adjustments to revenues. Many hospitals will provide medical care without charge or where some portion of the charge will be canceled. In other cases, medical care is billed to patients at "standard" rates but is later adjusted to reduce the charges to the rates established by contract with medicare, medicaid, or private insurers. In these situations the hospital must initially include the total charges as billed to the patient as gross income unless the hospital's records clearly indicate the amount of income to which it will be entitled under its contracts with insurance carriers. Where tax returns are initially filed based on gross charges, an adjustment may be taken on future tax returns after the hospital has adjusted its records to reflect the actual amounts collected. In no event may the hospital reduce the amount of its current gross income by amounts that were not previously reported on its excise tax return. If the tax rate changes from the time the B&O tax was first paid on the gross charges and the time of the adjustment, the hospital must file amended tax returns to report the B&O tax on the transaction as finally completed at the rate in effect when the service was performed.
(g) What are the tax consequences when a hospital contracts with an independent contractor to provide medical services at the hospital? When a hospital contracts with an independent contractor (service provider) to provide medical services such as managing and staffing the hospital's emergency department, the hospital may not deduct the amount paid to the service provider from its gross income. If, however, the patients are alone liable for paying the service provider, and the hospital has no personal liability, either primarily or secondarily, for paying the service provider, other than as agent for the patients, then the hospital may deduct from its gross income amounts paid to the service provider.
In addition, the service provider is subject to service and other activities B&O tax on the amount received from the hospital for providing these services for the hospital. If the service provider subcontracts with third parties, such as physicians or nurses, to help provide medical services as independent contractors, the service provider may not deduct from its gross income amounts paid to the subcontractors where the service provider is personally liable, either primarily or secondarily, for paying the subcontractors. If, however, the hospital is alone liable for paying the subcontractors, and the service provider has no personal liability, either primarily or secondarily, other than as agent for the hospital, then the service provider may deduct from its gross income amounts paid to the subcontractors. For additional information regarding deductible advances and reimbursements, refer to WAC 458-20-111 (Advances and reimbursements).
(3) B&O tax deductions, credits, and exemptions. This subsection provides information about several B&O tax deductions, credits, and exemptions available to persons operating medical or other health care facilities.
(a) Organ procurement organizations. Amounts received by a qualified organ procurement organization under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 273(b) in effect as of January 1, 2001, to the extent that the amounts are exempt from federal income tax, are exempt from B&O tax. RCW 82.04.326. This exemption is effective March 22, 2002.
(b) Contributions, donations, and endowment funds. A B&O tax deduction is provided by RCW 82.04.4282 for amounts received as contributions, donations, and endowment funds, including grants, which are not in exchange for goods, services, or business benefits. For example, B&O tax deduction is allowed for donations received by a public hospital, as long as the donors do not receive any goods, services, or any business benefits in return. On the other hand, a public hospital is not allowed to take a B&O tax deduction on amounts received from a state university for work-study programs or training seminars for doctors, because the university receives business benefits in return, as students receive education and training while enrolled in the university's degree programs.
The deductible amounts should be included in the gross income reported on the excise tax return and then deducted on the return to determine the amount of taxable income. Deductions taken must be identified on the appropriate deduction detail page of the excise tax return.
(c) Adult family homes. The gross income derived from personal and professional services of adult family homes licensed by the department of social and health services (DSHS), or which are specifically exempt from licensing under the rules of DSHS, is exempt from B&O tax under RCW 82.04.327. The exemption under RCW 82.04.327 does not apply to persons who provide home care services to clients in the clients' own residences.
For the purpose of this section, "adult family home" has the same meaning as in RCW 70.128.010.
(d) Nonprofit kidney dialysis facilities, hospice agencies, and certain nursing homes and homes for unwed mothers. B&O tax does not apply to amounts received as compensation for services rendered to patients or from sales of drugs for human use pursuant to a prescription furnished as an integral part of services rendered to patients by kidney dialysis facilities operated as a nonprofit corporation, nonprofit hospice agencies licensed under chapter 70.127 RCW, and nursing homes and homes for unwed mothers operated as religious or charitable organizations. RCW 82.04.4289. This exemption applies only if no part of the net earnings received by such an institution inures, directly or indirectly, to any person other than the institution entitled to this exemption. This exemption is available to nonprofit hospitals for income from the operation of kidney dialysis facilities if the hospital accurately identifies and accounts for the income from this activity.
Examples of nursing homes and homes for unwed mothers operated as religious or charitable organizations include nursing homes operated by church organizations or by nonprofit corporations designed to assist alcoholics in recovery and rehabilitation. Nursing homes and homes for unwed mothers operated by governmental entities, including public hospital districts, do not qualify for the B&O tax exemption provided in RCW 82.04.4289.
(e) Government payments made to health or social welfare organizations. A B&O tax deduction is provided by RCW 82.04.4297 to a health or social welfare organization, as defined in RCW 82.04.431, for amounts received directly from the United States, any instrumentality of the United States, the state of Washington, or any municipal corporation or political subdivision of the state of Washington as compensation for health or social welfare services. A deduction is not allowed, however, for amounts that are received under an employee benefit plan. The deductible amounts should be included in the gross income reported on the excise tax return and then deducted on the tax return to determine the amount of taxable income. Deductions taken must be identified on the appropriate deduction detail page of the excise tax return. Readers should refer to WAC 458-20-169 (Nonprofit organizations) for additional information regarding this deduction.
For purposes of the deduction provided by RCW 82.04.4297, "employee benefit plan" includes any plan, trust, commingled employee benefit trust, or custodial arrangement that is subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, 29 U.S.C. Sec. 1001 et seq., or that is described in sections 125, 401, 403, 408, 457, and 501 (c)(9) and (17) through (23) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or a similar plan maintained by a state or local government, or a plan, trust, or custodial arrangement established to self-insure benefits required by federal, state, or local law.
(f) Amounts received under a health service program subsidized by federal or state government. A public hospital that is owned by a municipal corporation or political subdivision, or a nonprofit hospital, or a nonprofit community health center, or a network of nonprofit community health centers, that qualifies as a health and social welfare organization as defined in RCW 82.04.431, may deduct from the measure of B&O tax amounts received as compensation for health care services covered under the federal medicare program authorized under Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act; medical assistance, children's health, or other program under chapter 74.09 RCW; or for the state of Washington basic health plan under chapter 70.47 RCW. RCW 82.04.4311. This deduction applies to amounts received directly or through a third party from the qualified programs or plans. However, this deduction does not apply to amounts received from patient copayments or patient deductibles. The deductible amounts should be included in the gross income reported on the excise tax return and then deducted on the return to determine the amount of taxable income. Deductions taken must be identified on the appropriate deduction detail page of the excise tax return.
For purposes of the deduction provided by RCW 82.04.4311, "community health center" means a federally qualified health center as defined in 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396d as existed on August 1, 2005.
(i) Effective date of deduction. The deduction for a public hospital owned by a municipal corporation or political subdivision and for a nonprofit hospital is effective April 2, 2002. Taxpayers who have paid B&O taxes between January 1, 1998, and April 2, 2002, on amounts that would qualify for this deduction are entitled to a refund. In addition, tax liability for accrued but unpaid taxes that would be deductible under this subsection (3)(f) are waived. For information regarding refunds, refer to WAC 458-20-229 (Refunds).
The deduction for a nonprofit community health center or a network of nonprofit community health centers is effective August 1, 2005.
(ii) Example. Acme Hospital is a nonprofit hospital that qualifies as a health and social welfare organization as defined in RCW 82.04.431. Acme receives $1,000 for providing health care services to Jane, who qualifies for the federal medicare program authorized under Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act. Jane is covered in a health care plan that is a combination of medicare, which is B&O tax deductible by Acme, and a medicare plus plan, which is paid for by Jane and is not B&O tax deductible by Acme. Jane pays $20 to Acme as patient copayments. Medicare pays $600 to Acme for the health care services, and the medicare plus plan pays $380. Acme may only deduct the $600 received from medicare.
(g) Blood and tissue banks. Amounts received by a qualifying blood bank, a qualifying tissue bank, or a qualifying blood and tissue bank are exempt from B&O tax to the extent the amounts are exempt from federal income tax. RCW 82.04.324. For the purposes of this exemption, the following definitions apply:
(i) Qualifying blood bank. "Qualifying blood bank" means a blood bank that qualifies as an exempt organization under 26 U.S.C. 501 (c)(3) as existing on June 10, 2004, is registered under 21 C.F.R., part 607 as existing on June 10, 2004, and whose primary business purpose is the collection, preparation, and processing of blood. "Qualifying blood bank" does not include a comprehensive cancer center that is recognized as such by the National Cancer Institute.
(iii) Qualifying blood and tissue bank. "Qualifying blood and tissue bank" is a bank that qualifies as an exempt organization under 26 U.S.C. 501 (c)(3) as existing on June 10, 2004, is registered under 21 C.F.R., Part 607 and Part 1271 as existing on June 10, 2004, and whose primary business purpose is the collection, preparation, and processing of blood, and the recovery, processing, storage, labeling, packaging, or distribution of human bone tissue, ligament tissue and similar musculoskeletal tissues, skin tissue, and heart valve tissue. "Qualifying blood and tissue bank" does not include a comprehensive cancer center that is recognized as such by the National Cancer Institute.
(h) Boarding homes. Effective July 1, 2004, licensed boarding home operators are entitled to a B&O tax deduction for amounts received as compensation for providing adult residential care, enhanced adult residential care, or assisted living services under contract with the department of social and heath services authorized by chapter 74.39A RCW to residents who are medicaid recipients. RCW 82.04.4337. For the purpose of this section, "adult residential care," "enhanced adult residential care," and "assisted living services" have the same meaning as in RCW 74.39A.009.
Effective July 1, 2005, B&O tax does not apply to the amounts received by a nonprofit boarding home licensed under chapter 18.20 RCW for providing room and domiciliary care to residents of the boarding home. RCW 82.04.4264. For purposes of this section, "nonprofit boarding home" means a boarding home that is operated as a religious or charitable organization, is exempt from federal income tax under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501 (c)(3), is incorporated under chapter 24.03 RCW, is operated as part of a nonprofit hospital, or is operated as part of a public hospital district.
(i) Comprehensive cancer centers. Effective July 1, 2006, B&O tax does not apply to the amounts received by a comprehensive cancer center to the extent the amounts are exempt from federal income tax. RCW 82.04.4265. For purposes of this section, "comprehensive cancer center" means a cancer center that has written confirmation that it is recognized by the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive cancer center and that qualifies as an exempt organization under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501 (c)(3) as existing on July 1, 2006.
(j) Hospital safe patient handling credit.
(i) RCW 82.04.4485 allows a hospital to take a credit against the B&O tax for the cost of purchasing mechanical lifting devices and other equipment that are primarily used to minimize patient handling by health care providers. In order to qualify for credit, the purchases must be made as part of a safe patient handling program developed and implemented by the hospital in compliance with RCW 70.41.390. The credit is equal to one hundred percent of the cost of the mechanical lifting devices or other equipment.
(ii) No application is necessary for the credit; however, a hospital taking a credit under this section must maintain records, as required by the department, necessary to verify eligibility for the credit under this subsection. The hospital is subject to all of the requirements of chapter 82.32 RCW. A credit earned during one calendar year may be carried over to be credited against taxes incurred in a subsequent calendar year. No refunds shall be granted for credits under this subsection.
(iii) The maximum credit that may be earned under this section for each hospital is limited to one thousand dollars for each acute care available inpatient bed.
(iv) Credits are available on a first in-time basis. The department shall disallow any credits, or portion thereof, that would cause the total amount of credits claimed statewide under this subsection to exceed ten million dollars. If the ten million dollar limitation is reached, the department will notify hospitals that the annual statewide limit has been met. In addition, the department will provide written notice to any hospital that has claimed tax credits after the ten million dollar limitation in this subsection has been met. The notice will indicate the amount of tax due and shall provide that the tax be paid within thirty days from the date of such notice. The department will not assess penalties and interest as provided in chapter 82.32 RCW on the amount due in the initial notice if the amount due is paid by the due date specified in the notice, or any extension thereof.
(v) Credit may not be claimed under this section for the acquisition of mechanical lifting devices and other equipment if the acquisition occurred before June 7, 2006.
(vi) Credit may not be claimed under this section for any acquisition of mechanical lifting devices and other equipment that occurs after December 30, 2010.
(vii) The department shall issue an annual report on the amount of credits claimed by hospitals under this section, with the first report due on July 1, 2008.
(viii) For the purposes of this subsection, "hospital" has the meaning provided in RCW 70.41.020.
(k) Prescription drugs administered by the medical service provider. Effective October 1, 2007, RCW 82.04.620 allows a deduction from the service and other activities classification of the B&O tax (RCW 82.04.290(2)) for amounts received by physicians or clinics for drugs for infusion or injection by licensed physicians or their agents for human use pursuant to a prescription. This deduction only applies to amounts that:
For purpose of this deduction only, amounts that "are covered or required under a health care service program subsidized by the federal or state government" include any required drug copayments made directly from the patient to the physician or clinic.
(A) "Federal rate" means the rate at or below which the federal government or its agents reimburse providers for prescription drugs administered to patients as provided for in the medicare, Part B drugs average sales price information resource as published by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, or any index that succeeds it.
(B) The deduction is available on an "all or nothing" basis against the total of amounts received for a specific drug charge. If the total amount received by the physician or clinic for a specific drug exceeds the federal reimbursement rate, none of the total amount received qualifies for the deduction (including any required copayment received directly from the patient). In other words, a physician or clinic may not simply take an "automatic" deduction equal to the federal reimbursement rate for each drug.
(C) For physicians or clinics reporting their taxes on the accrual basis, the total amount charged for a drug must be included in the gross income at the time of billing if it is in excess of the federal rate. However, in some cases the gross income from charges may be adjusted, as indicated in subsection (2)(f) of this section. If such an adjustment to gross income is appropriate, the exemption discussed in this subsection may also be taken at the time of billing if the adjustment leaves the physician or clinic contractually liable to receive a total amount (including any copayment received from the patient) that is not in excess of the federal rate.
(l) Temporary medical housing provided by a health or social welfare organization. Effective July 1, 2008, RCW 82.08.997 created an exemption from state and local sales taxes and lodging taxes for temporary medical housing provided by a health or social welfare organization. The term "health or social welfare organization" is defined in RCW 82.04.431. "Temporary medical housing" means transient lodging and related services provided to a patient or the patient's immediate family, legal guardian, or other persons necessary to the patient's mental or physical well-being.
(C) Convention and trade center tax levied under RCW 67.40.090 and 67.40.130;
(4) Sales of tangible personal property. Retailing B&O tax applies to sales of tangible personal property sold and billed separately from the performance of personal or professional services by hospitals, nursing homes, boarding homes, adult family homes, and similar health care facilities. This includes charges for making copies of medical records. In addition, retail sales tax must be collected from the buyer and remitted to the department unless the sale is specifically exempt by law.
(a) Tangible personal property used in providing medical services to patients. Retailing B&O and retail sales taxes do not apply to charges to a patient for tangible personal property used in providing medical services to the patient, even if separately billed. Tangible personal property used in providing medical services is not considered to have been sold separately from the medical services simply because those items are separately invoiced. These charges, even if separately itemized, are for providing medical services and are subject to B&O tax under either the public or nonprofit hospital B&O tax classification or the service and other activities classification depending on the person making the charge. For example, charges for drugs physically administered by the seller are subject to B&O tax under either the public or nonprofit hospital classification or the service and other activities classification depending on the person making the charge. On the other hand, charges for drugs sold to patients or their caregivers, either for patient self-administration or administration by a caregiver other than the seller, are subject to retailing B&O tax and retail sales tax unless specifically exempt by law. Readers should refer to WAC 458-20-18801 for detailed information regarding retail sales tax exemptions that apply to sales of prescription drugs and other medical items.
(b) Sales of meals. Although the sale of meals is generally considered to be a retail sale, hospitals, nursing homes, boarding homes, and similar health care facilities that furnish meals to patients or residents as a part of the services provided to those patients or residents are not considered to be making retail sales of meals. Thus amounts received by hospitals, nursing homes, boarding homes, and similar health care facilities for furnishing meals to patients or residents as part of the services provided to those patients or residents are subject to B&O tax under the service and other activities, public or nonprofit hospital, or licensed boarding homes classifications, depending upon the person furnishing the meals.
Prepared meals sold to senior citizens, disabled persons, or low-income persons by a not-for-profit organization organized under chapter 24.03 or 24.12 RCW are exempt from retail sales and use taxes. RCW 82.08.0293 and 82.12.0293. The exemptions apply to sales of prepared meals to not-for-profit organizations organized under chapter 24.03 or 24.12 RCW, that provide the meals to senior citizens, disabled persons, or low-income persons as a part of the patient services they render.
Hospitals, nursing homes, boarding homes, and similar health care facilities may have restaurants, cafeterias, or other dining facilities where meals are sold for cash or credit to doctors, nurses, other employees, and visitors. Some of these facilities may provide meals to their employees at no charge. Under these circumstances, all sales of meals to such persons are subject to retailing B&O and retail sales taxes, including the value of meals provided at no charge to employees. For additional information regarding the sale of meals, including meals furnished to employees, refer to WAC 458-20-119 (Sales of meals). Hospitals, nursing homes, boarding homes, and similar health care facilities that provide free meals to persons other than employees, such as visitors, should refer to WAC 458-20-124 (Restaurants, cocktail bars, taverns and similar businesses) for information about the taxability of meals given away free of charge.
(c) Sales of medical supplies, chemicals, or materials to a comprehensive cancer center. Effective July 1, 2006, sales of medical supplies, chemicals, or materials to a comprehensive cancer center are exempt from retail sales and use tax. RCW 82.08.808 and 82.12.808. This exemption, however, does not apply to the sales of construction materials, office equipment, building equipment, administrative supplies, or vehicles.
(iii) Materials. For purposes of this exemption, "materials" means any item of tangible personal property, including, but not limited to, bags, packs, collecting sets, filtering materials, testing reagents, antisera, and refrigerants used or consumed in performing research on, procuring, testing, processing, storing, packaging, distributing, or using blood, bone, or tissue.
(5) Equipment and supplies used by health care providers. Hospitals, nursing homes, adult family homes, boarding homes, and similar health care providers are required to pay retail sales tax on purchases of equipment and supplies unless specifically exempt by law. Readers should refer to WAC 458-20-18801 for detailed information regarding exemptions that are available to these health care providers, as well as persons performing medical research and organ procurement organizations.
(a) Purchases for resale. Purchases of tangible personal property for resale without intervening use are not subject to retail sales tax. Persons purchasing tangible personal property for resale must furnish a resale certificate for purchases made before January 1, 2010, or a reseller permit for purchases made on or after January 1, 2010, to the seller to document the wholesale nature of the sale as provided in WAC 458-20-102A (Resale certificates) and WAC 458-20-102 (Reseller permits). Even though resale certificates are no longer used after December 31, 2009, they must be kept on file by the seller for five years from the date of last use or December 31, 2014.
(b) Buyer's responsibility to remit deferred sales or use tax. If the seller does not collect retail sales tax on a retail sale, the buyer must remit the retail sales tax (commonly referred to as "deferred sales tax") or use tax directly to the department unless specifically exempt by law. For detailed information regarding the use tax, refer to WAC 458-20-178 (Use tax).
(i) How do I report deferred sales or use tax. Persons registered with the department and required to file tax returns should report deferred sales or use tax on their excise tax return. The excise tax return does not have a separate line for reporting deferred sales tax. Consequently, deferred sales tax liability should be reported on the use tax line of the buyer's excise tax return. If a deferred sales tax or use tax liability is incurred by a person who is not required to obtain a tax registration endorsement from the department, the person must report the tax on a "Consumer Use Tax Return" and remit the appropriate tax to the department.
(ii) Where can I obtain a Consumer Use Tax Return? The Consumer Use Tax Return may be obtained from the department's internet site at: http://dor.wa.gov, or by calling the department's telephone information center at 1-800-647-7706.
(6) Quality maintenance fee imposed on nursing homes. Effective July 1, 2007, the quality maintenance fee imposed on operators of nonexempt nursing facilities in Washington was repealed. Legislation passed in 2006 (section 1, chapter 241, Laws of 2006) repealed chapter 82.71 RCW, which imposed the fee. Originally effective on July 1, 2003, RCW 82.71.020 imposed a quality maintenance fee on every nursing home in this state not exempt from the fee under RCW 74.46.091. The amount of the quality maintenance fee was in addition to any other tax imposed upon nursing homes. Nursing homes were required to report the number of patient days and remit the fee to the department on a monthly basis. Persons with questions about how the quality maintenance fee affected individual nursing home operators or about the exemption provided by RCW 74.46.091 should contact the department of social and health services.
For purposes of this section, "patient day" means a calendar day of care provided to a nursing home resident, excluding a medicare patient day. Patient days include the day of admission and exclude the day of discharge; except that, when admission and discharge occur on the same day, one day of care shall be deemed to exist. "Medicare patient day" means a patient day for medicare beneficiaries on a medicare Part A stay and a patient day for persons who have opted for managed care coverage using their medicare benefit.)) This rule explains the application of business and occupation (B&O), retail sales, and use taxes to persons operating:
(a) Examples. This rule contains examples which identify a number of facts and then state a conclusion. The examples should be used only as a general guide. The tax results of other situations must be determined after a review of all of the facts and circumstances.
(b) What other rules might apply? The department of revenue (department) has adopted other rules that may apply to the provision of health care. Readers may want to refer to the following rules for additional information:
(i) WAC 458-20-102, Reseller permits;
(ii) WAC 458-20-111, Advances and reimbursements;
(iii) WAC 458-20-150, Optometrists, ophthalmologists, and opticians;
(iv) WAC 458-20-151, Dentists and other health care providers, dental laboratories, and dental technicians;
(v) WAC 458-20-169, Nonprofit organizations;
(vi) WAC 458-20-178, Use tax;
(vii) WAC 458-20-18801, Medical substances, devices, and supplies for humans—Drugs prescribed for human use—Medically prescribed oxygen—Prosthetic devices—Mobility enhancing equipment—Durable medical equipment;
(viii) WAC 458-20-233, Tax liability of medical and hospital service bureaus and associations and similar health care organizations.
(a) Hospital services to patients. Gross income earned by hospitals for providing personal or professional services to both inpatients and outpatients is subject to B&O tax as shown on the table below. RCW 82.04.260.
(b) Clinics and departments operated by hospitals. Gross income earned by medical clinics and departments providing services to both inpatients and outpatients and operated by a hospital is subject to B&O tax as shown in the table in subsection (2)(a) of this rule, where the operation of a medical clinic or department is covered by the hospital's license. If the clinic or department is not covered by the hospital's license, the gross income earned by a medical clinic or department providing services to inpatients and outpatients is subject to B&O tax under the service and other activities B&O tax classification.
(i) Example 1. Acme Hospital is a nonprofit hospital. Acme has a medical clinic that is physically located within the hospital. The clinic is open only during regular business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) and provides no domiciliary care or overnight facilities to its patients. The medical clinic is covered under Acme Hospital's hospital license. Gross income earned by the medical clinic for providing patient care is subject to the Public and Nonprofit Hospital B&O Tax Classification.
(ii) Example 2. Mountain Hospital is a for profit hospital with a cancer treatment facility that is located one mile from the hospital campus. The cancer treatment facility provides the type of services normally provided by hospitals to cancer patients but only during regular business hours. The cancer treatment facility is covered under the hospital's license. Gross income earned by the cancer treatment facility is subject to B&O tax as shown in the table in subsection (2)(a) of this rule.
(4) Assisted living facilities and domiciliary care. For the purpose of this rule, "assisted living facilities" and "domiciliary care" have the same meaning as found in RCW 18.20.020. Persons operating assisted living facilities licensed under chapter 18.20 RCW are entitled to a preferential B&O tax rate. See RCW 82.04.2908. Persons operating licensed assisted living facilities should report their gross income derived from providing room and domiciliary care to residents under the licensed assisted living facilities B&O tax classification. Refer to subsection (9)(h) of this rule for B&O tax deductions and exemptions available to persons operating assisted living facilities.
(5) Hospitals or other health care facilities operated by the state of Washington. The gross income earned by the state of Washington for operating a hospital or other health care facilities, whether or not owned by the state, is not subject to B&O tax.
(7) Sales of tangible personal property. Retailing B&O tax applies to sales of tangible personal property sold and billed separately from the performance of personal or professional services by hospitals, nursing homes as defined in RCW 18.51.010, assisted living facilities, adult family homes, and similar health care facilities. This includes charges for making copies of medical records. In addition, the seller must collect retail sales tax from the buyer and remit the tax to the department unless the sale is specifically exempt by law.
For example, charges for drugs physically administered by the seller are subject to B&O tax under the appropriate tax classification as shown in the table in subsection (2)(a) of this rule based on the person making the charge. On the other hand, charges for drugs sold to patients or their caregivers, either for patient self-administration or administration by a caregiver other than the seller, are subject to retailing B&O tax and retail sales tax unless specifically exempt by law. Readers should refer to WAC 458-20-18801 for detailed information regarding retail sales tax exemptions that apply to sales of prescription drugs and other medical items.
(a) Adjustments to revenues. Many hospitals will provide medical care without charge or where some portion of the charge will be canceled. In other cases, medical care is billed to patients at "standard" rates but is later adjusted to reduce the charges to the rates established by contract with medicare, medicaid, or private insurers. In these situations the hospital must initially include the total charges as billed to the patient as gross income unless the hospital's records clearly indicate the amount of income to which it will be entitled under its contracts with insurance carriers. Where tax returns are initially filed based on gross charges, an adjustment may be taken on future tax returns after the hospital has adjusted its records to reflect the actual amounts collected. In no event may the hospital reduce the amount of its current gross income by amounts that were not previously reported on its excise tax return. If the tax rate changes from the time the B&O tax was first paid on the gross charges and the time of the adjustment, the hospital must file amended tax returns to report the B&O tax on the transaction as finally completed at the rate in effect when the service was performed.
(c) Can nursing homes or assisted living facilities claim a B&O tax exemption for the rental of real estate? The purpose of nursing homes is to provide medical care to their residents. The purpose of assisted living facilities is to assume general responsibility for the safety and well-being of their residents and to provide other services to residents such as housekeeping, meals, laundry, and activities. Assisted living facilities may also provide residents with assistance with activities of daily living, health support services, and intermittent nursing services. Because the purpose of nursing homes and assisted living facilities is to provide services and not to lease or rent real property, no part of the gross income of nursing homes or assisted living facilities may be exempted from B&O tax as the rental of real estate.
(a) Organ procurement organizations. Amounts earned by a qualified organ procurement organization under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 273(b) in effect as of January 1, 2001, to the extent that the amounts are exempt from federal income tax, are exempt from B&O tax. RCW 82.04.326.
(b) Contributions, donations, and endowment funds. A B&O tax deduction is provided by RCW 82.04.4282 for amounts received as contributions, donations, and endowment funds, including grants, which are not in exchange for goods, services, or business benefits. For example, a B&O tax deduction is allowed for donations received by a public hospital, as long as the donors do not receive any goods, services, or any business benefits in return. On the other hand, a public hospital is not allowed to take a B&O tax deduction on amounts earned from a state university for work-study programs or training seminars, because the university receives business benefits in return, as students receive education and training while enrolled in the university's degree programs.
(d) Nonprofit kidney dialysis facilities, hospice agencies, and nonprofit nursing homes and homes for unwed mothers. B&O tax does not apply to amounts earned as compensation for services rendered to patients or from sales of drugs for human use pursuant to a prescription furnished as an integral part of services rendered to patients by kidney dialysis facilities operated as a nonprofit corporation, nonprofit hospice agencies licensed under chapter 70.127 RCW, nonprofit nursing homes and homes for unwed mothers operated as religious or charitable organizations. RCW 82.04.4289. This exemption applies only if no part of the net earnings earned by such an institution inures, directly or indirectly, to any person other than the institution entitled to this exemption. This exemption is available to nonprofit hospitals for income from the operation of kidney dialysis facilities if the hospital accurately identifies and accounts for the income from this activity.
(e) Government payments made to health or social welfare organizations. A B&O tax deduction is provided by RCW 82.04.4297 to health or social welfare organizations, as defined in RCW 82.04.431, for amounts earned directly from the United States, any instrumentality of the United States, the state of Washington, or any municipal corporation or political subdivision of the state of Washington as compensation for health or social welfare services.
Effective August 1, 2011, RCW 82.04.4275 provides a deduction for amounts health or social welfare organizations receive as compensation for providing child welfare services under a government-funded program.
(f) Amounts earned under a health service program subsidized by federal or state government.
• A network of nonprofit community health centers, that qualifies as a health and social welfare organization as defined in RCW 82.04.431, may deduct from the measure of B&O tax amounts earned as compensation for health care services covered under the federal medicare program authorized under Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act; medical assistance, children's health, or other program under chapter 74.09 RCW; or for the state of Washington basic health plan under chapter 70.47 RCW. RCW 82.04.4311. This deduction applies to amounts received directly or through a third party from the qualified programs or plans. However, this deduction does not apply to amounts received from patient copayments or patient deductibles. For purposes of the deduction provided by RCW 82.04.4311, "community health center" means a federally qualified health center as defined in 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1396d as existed on August 1, 2005.
Example 3. Acme Hospital is a nonprofit hospital that qualifies as a health and social welfare organization as defined in RCW 82.04.431. Acme receives $1,000 for providing health care services to Jane, who qualifies for the federal medicare program authorized under Title XVIII of the federal Social Security Act. Jane is covered in a health care plan that is a combination of medicare, which is B&O tax deductible by Acme, and a medicare plus plan, which is paid for by Jane and is not B&O tax deductible by Acme. Jane pays $20 to Acme as patient copayments. Medicare pays $600 to Acme for the health care services, and the medicare plus plan pays $380. Acme may only deduct the $600 received from medicare.
(g) Blood and tissue banks. Except as otherwise provided, amounts earned by a qualifying blood bank, a qualifying tissue bank, or a qualifying blood and tissue bank are exempt from B&O tax to the extent the amounts are exempt from federal income tax. RCW 82.04.324.
Effective October 1, 2013, persons claiming this exemption must report amounts exempt under this subsection to the department on their excise tax returns. Except for persons whose primary business purpose is the collection, preparation, and processing of blood, the exemption per person is limited to one hundred fifty thousand dollars in tax per calendar year. RCW 82.04.324(3) is scheduled to expire June 30, 2016.
(h) Assisted living facilities. Licensed assisted living facility operators may take a B&O tax deduction for amounts earned as compensation for providing adult residential care, enhanced adult residential care, or assisted living services under contract with the department of social and health services authorized by chapter 74.39A RCW to residents who are medicaid recipients. RCW 82.04.4337. For the purpose of this rule, "adult residential care," "enhanced adult residential care," and "assisted living services" have the same meaning as in RCW 74.39A.009.
In addition, B&O tax does not apply to the amounts earned by a nonprofit assisted living facility licensed under chapter 18.20 RCW for providing room and domiciliary care to residents of the assisted living facility. RCW 82.04.4264. For purposes of this rule, "nonprofit assisted living facility" means an assisted living facility that is operated as a religious or charitable organization, is exempt from federal income tax under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501 (c)(3), is incorporated under chapter 24.03 RCW, is operated as part of a nonprofit hospital, or is operated as part of a public hospital district.
(i) Comprehensive cancer centers. B&O tax does not apply to the amounts earned by a comprehensive cancer center to the extent the amounts are exempt from federal income tax. RCW 82.04.4265. For purposes of this rule, "comprehensive cancer center" means a cancer center that has written confirmation that it is recognized by the National Cancer Institute as a comprehensive cancer center and that qualifies as an exempt organization under 26 U.S.C. Sec. 501 (c)(3) as existing on July 1, 2006.
(j) Prescription drugs administered by the medical service provider. Effective October 1, 2007, RCW 82.04.620 allows a deduction from the service and other activities classification of the B&O tax (RCW 82.04.290) for amounts earned by physicians or clinics for drugs for infusion or injection by licensed physicians or their agents for human use pursuant to a prescription. This deduction only applies to amounts that:
(k) Hospital safe patient handling credit - Expired December 30, 2010.
(iii) The maximum credit that may be earned under this rule for each hospital is limited to one thousand dollars for each acute care available inpatient bed.
(a) Temporary medical housing provided by a health or social welfare organization. Effective July 1, 2008, RCW 82.08.997 authorized an exemption from state and local sales taxes and lodging taxes for temporary medical housing provided by a health or social welfare organization. The term "health or social welfare organization" is defined in RCW 82.04.431. "Temporary medical housing" means transient lodging and related services provided to a patient or the patient's immediate family, legal guardian, or other persons necessary to the patient's mental or physical well-being.
(b) Purchases for resale. Purchases of tangible personal property for resale without intervening use are not subject to retail sales tax. Persons purchasing tangible personal property for resale must furnish a reseller permit to the seller to document the wholesale nature of the sale. Reseller permits replaced resale certificates effective January 1, 2010. Even though resale certificates are no longer used, they must be kept on file by the seller for five years from the date of last use or December 31, 2014. For additional information on reseller permits see WAC 458-20-102.
(c) Sales of medical supplies, chemicals, or materials to a comprehensive cancer center. Sales of medical supplies, chemicals, or materials to a comprehensive cancer center are exempt from retail sales and use tax. RCW 82.08.808 and 82.12.808. This exemption does not apply to sales of construction materials, office equipment, building equipment, administrative supplies, or vehicles.
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 92-05-065, filed 2/18/92, effective 3/20/92)
WAC 458-20-18801 ((Prescription drugs, prosthetic and orthotic devices, ostomic items, and medically prescribed oxygen.)) Medical substances, devices, and supplies for humans—Drugs prescribed for human use—Medically prescribed oxygen—Prosthetic devices—Mobility enhancing equipment—Durable medical equipment.
(((1) Definitions. As used in this section:
(a) "Prescription drugs" are medicines, drugs, prescription lenses, or other substances, other than food for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease or other ailment in humans ordered by (i) the written prescription to a pharmacist by a practitioner authorized by the laws of this state or laws of another jurisdiction to issue prescriptions, or (ii) an oral prescription of such practitioner which is reduced promptly to writing and filled by a duly licensed pharmacist, or (iii) by refilling any such written or oral prescription if such refilling is authorized by the prescriber either in the original prescription or by oral order which is promptly reduced to writing and filled by the pharmacist, or (iv) physicians or optometrists by way of written directions and specifications for the preparation, grinding, and fabrication of lenses intended to aid or correct visual defects or anomalies of humans.
(b) "Prescription" means a formula or recipe or an order written by a medical practitioner for the composition, preparation and use of a healing, curative or diagnostic substance, and also includes written directions and specifications by physicians or optometrists for the preparation, grinding, and fabrication of lenses intended to aid or correct visual defects or anomalies of humans.
(c) "Other substances" means products such as catalytics, hormones, vitamins, and steroids, but the term generally does not include devices, instruments, equipment, and similar articles. However, "other substances" does include the needles, tubing, and the bag which are part of an intravenous set for delivery of prescription drugs. It also includes infusion pumps and catheters when used to deliver prescription drugs to a specific patient. These items are not conceptually distinct from the prescription drug solution. This same rationale applies to tubing and needles which are used in placing prescribed nutritional products in the patient's system. The stand which holds the intravenous set is not included nor are plain glass slides, plain specimen collection devices, and similar items which are used in the laboratory. This term does include diagnostic substances and reagents, including prepared slides, tubes and collection specimens devices which contain diagnostic substances and reagents at the time of purchase by a laboratory.
(d) "Medical practitioner" means a person within the scope of RCW 18.64.011(9) who is authorized to prescribe drugs, but excluding veterinarians, and for the purposes of this rule includes also persons licensed by chapter 18.53 RCW to issue prescriptions for lenses.
(e) "Licensed dispensary" means a drug store, pharmacy, or dispensary licensed by chapter 18.64 RCW or a dispensing optician licensed by chapter 18.34 RCW.
(f) "Prosthetic devices" are artificial substitutes which generally replace missing parts of the human body, such as a limb, bone, joint, eye, tooth, or other organ or part thereof, and materials which become ingredients or components of prostheses.
(g) "Orthotic devices" are apparatus designed to activate or supplement a weakened or atrophied limb or function. They include braces, collars, casts, splints, and other similar apparatus as well as parts thereof. Orthotic devices do not include durable medical equipment such as wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, and canes nor consumable supplies such as embolism stockings, arch pads, belts, supports, bandages, and the like, whether prescribed or not.
(h) "Ostomic items" are medical supplies used by colostomy, ileostomy, and urostomy patients. These include bags, tapes, tubes, adhesives, deodorants, soaps, jellies, creams, germicides, and sundry related supplies.
(i) "Medically prescribed oxygen" means oxygen prescribed for the use in the treatment of a medical condition. For periods after July 27, 1991, this term shall include, but is not limited to, the sale or rental of oxygen concentrator systems, oxygen enricher systems, liquid oxygen systems, and gaseous, bottled oxygen systems for use by an individual under a prescription. (See RCW 82.08.0283.)
(j) "Legend drugs" are those drugs which may not be legally dispensed without a prescription. These drugs are listed in the official United States pharmacopeia or similar source. (See RCW 69.41.010(8).) WAC 246-865-010(5) requires legend drugs to have a label stating that federal law prohibits dispensing without a prescription. Also refer to RCW 69.41.010(9).
(k) "Nutrition products" are prescribed dietary substances formulated to provide balanced nutrition as a sole source of nourishment.
(2) Business and occupation tax. The business and occupation tax applies to the gross proceeds from sales of drugs, medicines, prescription lenses, or other substances used for diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease or other ailments in humans. Sales of these items to persons for resale are taxable under the wholesaling classification. Sales to consumers are taxable under the retailing classification. Persons who provide medical services to patients are taxable under the service and other business activities classification on the gross charge to the patient, notwithstanding that some prescription drugs may be separately charged to the patient. Persons who provide medical services should refer to WAC 458-20-151 and 458-20-168 for additional tax reporting information.
(3) Deductions. The following may be deducted from gross proceeds for computing business and occupation tax:
(a) Sales of prescription drugs and other medical and healing supplies furnished as an integral part of services rendered by a publicly operated or nonprofit hospital, nonprofit kidney dialysis facility, nursing home, or home for unwed mothers operated as a religious or charitable organization which meets all the conditions for exemption for services generally under RCW 82.04.4288 or 82.04.4289 (see WAC 458-20-168).
(4) Retail sales tax. The retail sales tax applies upon all retail sales of tangible personal property unless expressly exempted by law.
(5) Exemptions. The following exemptions apply from the retail sales tax and use tax.
(a) Legend drugs are exempt from retail sales tax or use tax when sold for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease or other ailments of humans. This exemption applies to all levels of sales and distribution of legend drugs, including legend drugs given away as samples. Legend drugs are exempt from sales tax when sold to hospitals, doctors, dentists, or any other medical practitioner, as well as to patients. Sellers of legend drugs are not required to retain a resale certificate or other exemption documentation from the legend drug purchaser. The exemption applies at the time of purchase even if the hospital or medical practitioner who makes such purchases will not resell the legend drug as a separate line item charge to its patient.
(b) The retail sales tax does not apply to sales of nonlegend drugs, nutrition products including dietary supplements or dietary adjuncts, medicines, prescription lenses, or other substances, but only when
(i) Dispensed by a licensed dispensary
(ii) Pursuant to a written prescription
(iii) Issued by a medical practitioner
(iv) For diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease or other ailment in humans. (See RCW 82.08.0281.)
(c) Laboratory reagents and other diagnostic substances are exempt from retail sales tax when used as part of a test prescribed to diagnose disease in humans. These items include, among others, reagents, calibrators, chemicals, gases, vacutainers with heparin or other chemicals or medicines, and prepared media. Control reagents are exempt, but only when the control reagents are used in performing tests prescribed for a patient. Reagents which are used to merely calibrate equipment and are not related to a test prescribed for a specific patient are not exempt.
(d) The retail sales tax exemption applies also to intravenous sets, including the needles and tubing, when used for the administration of drugs prescribed to a patient. This also includes catheters, infusion pumps, syringes, and similar items when used for the delivery of prescription drugs. Medical gas delivery system components, including tubes, nebulizers, ventilators, masks, cannulae and similar items, are not conceptually distinct from the prescribed gases they deliver and are exempt from retail sales or use tax. The medical delivery system includes airway devices (tubes) which are prescribed to keep a patient's airways open and to deliver medical gases.
(e) The retail sales tax does not apply to sales of prosthetic devices, orthotic devices prescribed by physicians, osteopaths, or chiropractors, nor to sales of ostomic items. (See RCW 82.08.0283.) Sutures, pacemakers, hearing aids, and kidney dialysis machines are examples of prosthetic devices. Drainage devices which are particularly prescribed for use on or in a specific patient are exempt from sales or use taxes as prostheses because they either replace missing body parts or assist dysfunctional ones, either on a temporary or permanent basis. A prosthetic device can include a device that is implanted for cosmetic reasons. Hearing aids are also exempt when dispensed or fitted by a person licensed under chapter 18.35 RCW. A heart-lung machine used by a hospital in its surgical department is not an exempt prosthetic device.
(f) The sale of medically prescribed oxygen is not subject to retail sales or use tax when sold to an individual having a prescription issued by a person licensed under chapter 18.57 or 18.71 RCW for use in the medical treatment of that individual.
(g) The retail sales tax does not apply to the purchase of anesthesia gases, medical gases, contrast media, or irrigation solutions when these items are used under a physician's order as part of a medical treatment for a specific patient.
(6) Proof of exemption. Persons selling legend drugs need only to substantiate that the drugs meet the definition of legend drugs and are for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, prevention of disease or other ailments in humans. Resale certificates or other exemption certificates are not required for these sales. For sales to consumers of nonlegend drugs, sellers must retain in their files the written prescription bearing the signature of the medical practitioner who issued the prescription and the name of the patient for whom prescribed. See also WAC 458-20-150 Optometrists, ophthalmologists, and oculists; 458-20-151 Dentists, dental laboratories and physicians; and 458-20-168 Hospitals.
(a) Hospitals and physicians who purchase drugs for use in providing medical services to patients may purchase the drugs without payment of retail sales tax if the drugs will only be dispensed under a physician's order. It is not required that the hospital or physician make a specific charge to the patient for drugs dispensed under a physician's order for the drug purchase to be exempt from retail sales or use tax. This also includes the purchases of intravenous sets, catheters, infusion pumps, syringes, and similar items which will be used for delivery of prescription drugs. The hospital or physician may give the nonlegend drug supplier an exemption certificate. The certificate should be retained by the seller for a period of five years after the last sale covered by the certificate. Certificates should not be sent to the department of revenue. The certificate should be in the following form:
Prescription drug exemption certificate
I hereby certify: That I am a registered Washington taxpayer. I may legally prescribe or dispense drugs or other substances. I further certify that the drugs and other substances listed below purchased from . . . . . . . . . (name of vendor) will be prescribed and used for the treatment of illness or ailments of human beings. I shall maintain invoices and prescriptions or such other records as are necessary to account for the disposition of the drugs or other substances for which I have not paid retail sales tax. In the event that any such drug or substance is used without a prescription being issued, it is understood that I am required to report and pay use tax measured by its purchase price. If I have indicated that this is a blanket certificate, this certificate shall be considered part of each order which I may hereafter give to you, unless otherwise specified, and shall be valid for a period of four years or until revoked by me in writing. Description of drugs and other substances to be purchased:
Dated: . . . .
Single Purchase . . . . . . Blanket Certificate . . . .
(indicate by check mark if certificate is for a single purchase or continuing purchases)
(Revenue registration number of buyer)
(b) A blanket exemption certificate may be given if there will be continuing purchases from a particular supplier. Blanket exemption certificates should be renewed at intervals not to exceed four years. The purchaser should indicate by an appropriate check mark on the certificate whether the certificate is being used for a single purchase or will be for continuing purchases. It is unnecessary to list each and every drug on the exemption certificate if all drugs purchased from a particular supplier are exempt.
(7) Use tax. The use tax does not apply to the use of articles and products which are exempt from sales tax as specified herein. (See RCW 82.12.0277.) This includes legend drugs which are given away as samples.
(8) Examples. The following examples identify a number of facts and then state a conclusion. These examples should be used only as a general guide. The tax status of each situation must be determined after a review of all of the facts and circumstances.
(a) ABC Hospital purchases both legend and nonlegend drugs. These drugs are held in inventory and dispensed to patients only under the written order of the patient's physician. These drugs are not billed specifically to the patient, but the cost is recovered through a general floor charge to the patient. ABC Hospital may purchase these drugs without payment of sales or use tax.
(b) ABC Hospital purchases reagents for use in its laboratory which are nonlegend drugs. Laboratory reagents are chemical compounds used to promote reactions in the laboratory to aid in determining disease pathology and are not administered directly to the patient. These reagents are used for three purposes consisting of tests on the tissue from a specific patient, a control reagent which is not applied to the tissue from the patient but is used to measure or control the reaction, and a reagent used to calibrate equipment. The reagents used for the first two purposes may be purchased without payment of sales or use tax. The reagents for the calibration of equipment are also exempt if the equipment is calibrated as part of tests for a specific patient. Reagents used to calibrate equipment that is not part of a prescribed test for a patient are taxable.
(c) XY Blood Bank purchases reagents which are nonlegend drugs. These reagents are used in determining the blood type and presence of disease. The blood is sold to local hospitals. The purchase of these reagents is taxable since they are not used to provide treatment for a specific patient.))
(101) Introduction. This rule provides tax-reporting information for persons making sales of medical products. It also provides information about the retail sales tax and use tax exemptions available for the sale and use of certain medical products for humans.
(102) How is this rule organized? This rule is divided into five parts as follows:
(a) Part 1 - Introduction. Part 1 provides information relating to the purpose of the rule, how the rule is organized, and provides a listing of additional rules that may be helpful to the reader in determining taxability related to medical products.
(b) Part 2 - Medical products. Part 2 of this rule identifies what "medical products" include for purposes of this rule. Medical products is not a statutory term, but instead, is a term used simply to collectively describe the medical items addressed by this rule.
(c) Part 3 - Applicable taxes. Part 3 of this rule provides information on the taxes that apply to the sale, use, purchase, or manufacture of medical products.
(d) Part 4 - Common exemptions. Part 4 of this rule provides information on common retail sales tax and use tax exemptions related to medical products.
(e) Part 5 - Bundled transactions. Part 5 of this rule addresses the treatment of bundled transactions involving medical products.
(103) How are examples included in this rule to be used? This rule contains examples which identify a number of facts and then states a conclusion. The examples should be used only as a general guide. The tax results of other situations must be determined after a review of all of the facts and circumstances.
(104) What are some other department of revenue rules that address medical or health related providers that might apply? The department of revenue (department) has adopted other rules addressing the taxability of various activities related to the providing of health care. Readers may want to refer to the following list of rules for additional information:
(a) WAC 458-20-150, Optometrists, ophthalmologists, and opticians;
(b) WAC 458-20-151, Dentists and other health care providers, dental laboratories, and dental technicians;
(c) WAC 458-20-168, Hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, adult family homes and similar health care facilities.
PART 2 - MEDICAL PRODUCTS
(201) What are medical products for purposes of this rule? Medical products include durable medical equipment, drugs, mobility enhancing equipment, over-the-counter drugs, and prosthetic devices as defined by Washington statute. Medical products also include other tangible personal property used for medical purposes, not covered by one of the statutory definitions. The remainder of Part 2 of this rule describes these medical products.
(202) What is durable medical equipment? Durable medical equipment is equipment, including repair and replacement parts for durable medical equipment that:
(d) Is not worn in or on the body. See RCW 82.08.0283. Also, see subsection (206)(b) of this rule for an explanation of what is considered "worn in or on the body."
Table 1 provides a nonexclusive list of durable medical equipment product examples.
Atomizers (medical - Reusable)
Beds, bags, trays, bedpans, commodes, pads, pillows, crash carts, lamps, bulbs, and tables (medical)
Blood parameter monitor, pulse oximetry equipment, and blood gas analyzer
Bone growth stimulator (not worn on the body)
Bovie (cauterization)
Cofflator
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP & BI-PAP) machine (not worn on the body)
Diagnostic equipment - Audiology, cardiology, mammography, radiology
Electronic speech aids (not worn on the body)
Enteral feeding bags, tubing, and connectors
Feeding plugs
Instruments - Reuseable, e.g., clamps, drills, forceps, retractors, scalpels, reamers, scissors
Intravenous (IV) stands and poles
Kidney dialysis devices
Reusable needles or reusable staplers
Stapler (must be empty as staples are not durable medical equipment)
Stethoscopes, stirrups, and stretchers (medical)
TENS units (not worn on the body)
Ultrasound probes, transducers, and mini dopplers
Whirlpools (medical)
(203)(a) What is a drug? A "drug" is a compound, substance, or preparation, and any component of a compound, substance, or preparation, other than food and food ingredients, dietary supplements, or alcoholic beverages:
(i) Recognized in the official United States pharmacopoeia, official homeopathic pharmacopoeia of the United States, or official national formulary, or any supplement to any of them; or
(ii) Intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease; or
(iii) Intended to affect the structure or any function of the body. See RCW 82.08.0281.
Table 2 provides a nonexclusive list of drug product examples.
Dermal fillers - Injectable
Dialysis dialysate solution
Federal prescription (RX) drugs, including biologicals
Gases - Medical grade (nitrous oxide, oxygen, carbon dioxide, helium)
Implanted radioactive isotopes
Parenteral nutrition formulas - By prescription
Prescription medicated cotton swabs and gauze wraps
Sterile water - 1cc, 5cc, 10cc vials, sterile normal saline (.9%) - 1cc, 5cc, 10cc vials - Solutions for adding to mixtures and irrigation
(b) Substances that are necessary to the performance of durable medical equipment are not drugs. A compound, substance, or preparation that is necessary for durable medical equipment to perform its function is not a drug, even when it otherwise meets the definition of drug in this subsection.
(c) Examples of compounds, substances, preparations that are necessary in order for the durable medical equipment to perform its function.
Example 1. A Coulter Blood Cell Counter uses an electrolytic solution to perform its function. The solution is entirely contained within the device and does not physically interact with the patient's tissue (blood) apart from the device. The device cannot perform its function without the electrolytic solution. The solution is an integral part of the Coulter Blood Cell Counter and is not a drug even though the device is used to diagnose disease and the test it performs is conducted pursuant to a prescription.
Example 2. A cryoablation device uses extremely cold, thermally conductive solution inside a hollow probe or needle to freeze and remove diseased or malfunctioning cells within a patient's body. The solution is entirely contained within the device and does not physically interact with the patient's tissue apart from the device. The device cannot perform its function without the solution. The solution is an integral part of the device and is not a drug even though the device is used in the cure, mitigation, and treatment of disease as part of a prescribed procedure.
Example 3. A specialized medical laser uses certain gases (e.g., argon, helium) to determine the wavelength of the light emitted. This allows the laser to identify specific cells or substance types. The gas is entirely contained within the laser and does not physically interact with the patient's tissue apart from the device. The device cannot perform its function without the gas. The gas is an integral part of the device and is not a drug even though the gas is consumed and the laser is used in the cure, mitigation, and treatment of disease as part of a prescribed procedure.
(204) What is mobility enhancing equipment? Mobility enhancing equipment is equipment, including repair and replacement parts for mobility enhancing equipment that:
(a) Is primarily and customarily used to provide or increase the ability to move from one place to another and is appropriate for use either in a home or a motor vehicle;
(c) Does not include any motor vehicle or equipment on a motor vehicle normally provided by a motor vehicle manufacturer. See RCW 82.08.0283.
Table 3 provides a nonexclusive list of mobility enhancing equipment products.
Mobility Enhancing Equipment Examples
Bath aids - Raised toilet seat, tub and shower stools
Bed pull-up T
Car seats (mobility enhancing)
Handrails and grab bars to assist in rising from commode, tub, or shower
Lift chairs and replacement parts
Lifts (hydraulic or electric) used to raise or transfer patients from bed to chair, commode, or bath
Scooters and transporters
Swivel seats enabling the disabled to rotate in order to rise from a chair
Transfer belts to assist in the transfer of patients
Wheelchairs adapted for specific uses or functions, e.g., all terrain wheelchairs
(205) Over-the-counter drugs. An over-the-counter drug is a drug that contains a label that identifies the product as a drug required by 21 C.F.R. Sec. 201.66, as amended or renumbered on January 1, 2003. The label includes:
(b) A statement of the "active ingredient(s)" with a list of those ingredients contained in the compound, substance, or preparation. See RCW 82.08.0281.
Table 4 provides a nonexclusive list of over-the-counter drug products.
Over-the-Counter Drug Examples
Eternal nutrition formulas with drug facts box
Medicated cotton swabs and gauze wraps (nonlegend)
Paviodine iodine
(206)(a) What is a prosthetic device? A prosthetic device is a replacement, corrective, or supportive device, including repair and replacement parts for a prosthetic device, worn on or in the body to:
(ii) Prevent or correct a physical deformity or malfunction; or
(iii) Support a weak or deformed portion of the body. See RCW 82.08.0283.
Table 5 provides a nonexclusive list of prosthetic device products.
Prosthetic Device Examples
Abdominal belts, binders, and supports
Artificial eyes, heart valves, larynx, limbs
Bone cement and wax
Bone pins, plates, nails, screws
Breast implants and external prosthesis
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines which are specifically designed to be wholly worn on the body and portable
Corrective eye glasses and contact lenses
Dental prostheses including, but not limited to, full and partial dentures, crowns, inlays, fillings, braces, and retainers
Drainage devices for single patient use because they serve the same drainage functions as the body's natural systems
Ear, nose, and throat implants
Gastric bands and intragastric balloons
Hand and feet implants
Mastectomy surgical bras
Maxillofacial devices implanted
Membrane implants (neutron, spinal, joint)
Orthobiologics implants
Orthopedic shoes, shoe lifts, inserts, arch supports, heel protectors
Pressure garments - Edema gloves
Pressure garments - Mast pants, burn garments
Salem sump with anti-reflux valve
Shoulder and elbow implants
Skin implants - Synthetic
Slings, braces, collars, casts, splints, embolism stockings, arch pads, pelvic traction belts, traction pulley clamp assemblies and cords
Slings - Medical
Specialized orthotic shoes, post-operation shoes, cast shoes, diabetic shoes and inserts, and other similar apparatus
Speech aids (electronic) worn on the body
Sphincters - Medical
Splints and splint materials
Stent implants through endoscopy
Stents (biliary, coronary and urinary)
Stockings - Compression
Sutures, staples, and skin glue for closing wounds
TENS units worn on the body
Testicular and penile implants
(b) When is a device not worn on or in the body? For the purpose of this exemption, "worn on the body" means the entire device is something a person puts on or has on their person, to be carried with and habitually becomes part of the person as a whole, much in the sense that a person wears clothing or other personal items. Such devices are designed to be wholly worn on the body and portable. A device is not "worn on or in the body" simply because part of it is attached to the body in some way for a period of time. These devices cannot be partially floor-standing, plugged into an outlet, or moved by virtue of dragging, wheels, or with the assistance of a separate device (e.g., a cart or intravenous stand).
(c) Examples of items that are not prosthetic devices worn on or in the body. The following are examples of items not considered prosthetic devices worn on or in the body.
Example 4. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines are commonly used by patients with sleep apnea disorders to facilitate normal breathing. Patients using a CPAP machine are normally hooked up to the machine via tubing and individually tailored masks. Even though the mask is normally "worn" for significant periods of time each night, the mask by itself cannot accomplish the intended purpose. The machine performing the function is not worn on the body as a complete system. Neither the mask separately, nor the machine as a whole system, is a prosthetic device.
Example 5. Heart-lung machines generally replace the function of the heart and lungs during surgery, as well as regulating body temperature and providing an avenue of introduction for anesthetics or other medications directly into a patient's bloodstream. While a heart-lung machine is attached to the patient, it is commonly a floor-standing or wheeled unit and is not a prosthetic device.
PART 3 - APPLICABLE TAXES
(301) What basic tax information do I need to be aware of when selling, purchasing, using or manufacturing medical products? This subsection provides general tax-reporting information for persons who sell, purchase, use, or manufacture, medical products.
(302) How are medical products taxed? In general, sales of medical products are taxable. Sales of medical products to consumers such as doctors, hospitals, or patients are subject to retailing business and occupation (B&O) tax and the retail sales tax. These taxes apply to the sale of medical products as follows:
(a) Retail sales tax. Retail sales tax applies to the sale of medical products to a consumer unless a specific exemption applies. RCW 82.04.050 and 82.08.020. Specific exemptions are discussed in Part 4 of this rule.
(b) Retailing B&O tax. There is no general B&O tax exemption for sales of medical products. Even if a sale of a medical product is exempt from retail sales tax, the gross proceeds from the sale of the medical product to a consumer is subject to the retailing B&O tax.
(c) Wholesaling B&O tax. Sales to persons who resell the medical products (e.g., pharmacies) are subject to the wholesaling B&O tax. Persons making wholesale sales should refer to WAC 458-20-102 for information regarding their responsibility to obtain a reseller permit.
(d) Manufacturing B&O tax. Persons who manufacture products including medical products, in this state are subject to the manufacturing B&O tax upon the value of these products. Manufacturers selling the products at retail or wholesale in this state are also subject to either the retailing or wholesaling B&O tax, as the case may be. In such cases, the manufacturer must report under both the "production" (manufacturing) and "selling" (wholesaling or retailing) classifications of the B&O tax, and claim a Multiple Activities Tax Credit (MATC). Refer to WAC 458-20-19301 for a more detailed explanation of the MATC.
Persons who manufacture molds or other products that they use in a manufacturing process are subject to the manufacturing B&O tax upon the value of the product manufactured. (See also WAC 458-20-112 and 458-20-134 regarding "value of products" and "commercial or industrial use," respectively.) Such persons also incur a use tax liability with respect to their use of the molds or products, unless a specific exemption applies. For example, RCW 82.12.02565 provides a use tax exemption for the use of certain molds in a manufacturing operation. Refer to WAC 458-20-13601 for additional information regarding the manufacturers machinery and equipment sales tax and use tax exemptions.
(e) Use tax or deferred retail sales tax. Purchases of medical products at retail are subject to retail sales tax unless a specific exemption exists in the law. If the seller does not collect retail sales tax, a buyer who is not reselling the products must pay the retail sales tax (commonly referred to as the "deferred retail sales tax") or use tax directly to the department, unless the specific items purchased are exempt under the law. For additional information on use tax see WAC 458-20-178.
(303) Retail sales tax should be paid by the consumer based on the principal use of the product. Some medical products can be put to both an exempt and taxable use. At the time of purchase a buyer may not know exactly how the item or items will be used. In such cases, retail sales tax must be paid to the seller at the time of purchase when the buyer expects to principally (i.e., more than fifty percent of the time) put the item to a taxable use in the normal course of business. However, if the buyer expects to principally put the item to use in an exempt manner, the buyer may provide the seller with an appropriately completed exemption certificate that lists the retail sales tax exempt item or types of items included in the purchase. See subsection (304) of this rule for more information on exemption certificates. When a seller receives an appropriately completed exemption certificate, that seller is relieved of the responsibility to collect the retail sales tax for those specific items or types of items identified on the certificate and sold in that transaction.
(a) Items put to taxable use where tax was not paid. If the buyer does not pay sales tax on an item, and later puts that item to use in a manner that is not exempt of sales tax, the buyer must pay deferred sales or use tax to the department. The deferred sales tax liability should be reported by the buyer on the use tax lines of the excise tax return (including both state and local portions of the tax). The tax should be reported based on the location and sales tax rate which is in effect where the buyer took possession of the item.
(b) Items put to exempt use where tax was paid. If the buyer does not give an exemption certificate to the seller indicating a certain item is exempt of retail sales tax, the seller must collect the tax at the time of purchase on that item. If the buyer later puts that item to first use in an exempt manner, the buyer may take a deduction on the excise tax return equal to the value of the item. This deduction should be claimed in the deduction column of the retail sales tax line, and should be identified as a "taxable amount for tax paid at source" deduction on the deduction detail worksheet. When completing the local sales tax section of the tax return, the value of the item must be credited using the seller's tax location code (assuming the buyer took possession of the item at the seller's location) and computed at the local sales tax rate paid to the seller.
Example 6. Purchase of items which are principally exempt. ABC Medical Center (ABC) purchases a case of sterile silicon tubing. One case contains twenty units of sterile tubing in individually sealed sterile packaging. The tubing purchased by ABC is either used to deliver medically prescribed oxygen from tanks to a patient (an exempt use), or used by ABC's laboratory to conduct certain tests (not an exempt use). At the time of purchase, ABC does not know how many of the twenty packages in the case will be used for oxygen tank systems versus how many will be drawn out of inventory by the lab. However, according to ABC's inventory records from past periods, the tubing will principally be used as part of the medically prescribed oxygen systems. ABC provides the seller of the tubing with a properly completed exemption certificate (in this case, the "Sales Tax Exemption Certificate for Health Care Providers"). The seller is not required to collect retail sales tax on the case of sterile tubing. As ABC puts the tubing to use, it must keep track of when a package of tubing is used by the laboratory. Deferred sales tax is due and should be reported on and remitted with the excise tax return for the period in which ABC used the tubing.
Example 7. Purchase of items which are principally taxable. Assume the same items and situation as in Example 6, except that for this example, according to ABC's inventory records from past periods, the tubing will be principally used for retail sales taxable purposes in the laboratory. ABC cannot provide an exemption certificate for purchase of the tubing and must pay retail sales tax to the seller. As ABC puts the tubing to use, it may keep track of when a package of tubing is put to exempt use with a medically prescribed oxygen system. ABC may then take on its excise tax return a tax paid at source deduction for the value of the package used.
(304) Sellers must obtain an exemption certificate on any retail sales exempted from the retail sales tax. Unless otherwise provided in this rule, sellers making retail sales to medical practitioners, nursing homes, and hospitals must obtain an exemption certificate to document any tax-exempt sales of the products discussed in this rule when those businesses are the consumers. Information about exemption certificates may be obtained by:
(a) Using the department's web site at dor.wa.gov/; or
(b) Calling the department's telephone information center at 1-800-647-7706.
PART 4 - COMMON RETAIL SALES TAX AND USE TAX EXEMPTIONS
(401) What common retail sales tax and use tax exemptions apply to the sale of medical products? This part of the rule provides a non-exhaustive list of retail sales tax and use tax exemptions available with respect to various medical products.
(402) Sales of medical products pursuant to a prescription. Most retail sales tax exemptions available for sales of medical products require that the item is purchased under authority of a prescription.
(a) What is a prescription? A "prescription" is an order, formula, or recipe issued in any form of oral, written, electronic, or other means of transmission by a duly licensed practitioner authorized by the laws of this state to prescribe. See RCW 82.08.0281. The specific requirements for a prescription may differ depending on the item exempted and the RCW chapter under which the person issuing the prescription is licensed. Close attention must be paid to the details given for each specific exemption explained in the following subsections of this rule.
(b) No automatic exemption. A prescription does not automatically qualify a sale of a medical product for a sales tax or use tax exemption. Unless a specific exemption exists in statute for the sale or use of the item in question the item is not exempt, even with a prescription. For example, if a physician prescribes a regimen of exercise at the local fitness club, the mere issuance of the prescription does not qualify the sales of that service for a retail sales tax exemption because no such exemption exists in statute.
(c) When medical procedures are prescribed. When a medical procedure is prescribed by a duly licensed practitioner authorized to prescribe the same, that overall prescription fulfills the prescription requirement (if any) for each eligible exempt item used in the procedure. For example, an orthopedic surgeon conducts joint replacement surgery for a patient's diseased joint. As part of that surgical procedure, prescription drugs and other eligible exempt items are used. The surgeon does not specifically issue a separate written prescription for each eligible exempt item. The surgeon's order for the surgical procedure and the oral directions provided by the surgeon during the procedure fulfill any prescription requirement for each eligible item used in an exempt manner during that procedure.
(d) Dispensed pursuant to a prescription. The purchase of drugs to be dispensed in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease or to affect the structure or any function of the body, by hospitals or other persons licensed to prescribe such drugs, are considered dispensed pursuant to a prescription and therefore exempt, providing the buyer gives the seller an exemption certificate as discussed in Part 3 of this rule.
(403) Sales tax and use tax exemptions available with respect to various medical products.
(a) Sales to a free hospital are exempt from sales tax and use tax. RCW 82.08.02795 and 82.12.02745 provide retail sales tax and use tax exemptions for items sold to and used by a "free hospital" when those items are reasonably necessary for the operation of, and provision of health care by a free hospital. For the purpose of these exemptions, "free hospital" is a hospital that does not charge patients for health care provided by the hospital.
(b) Sales of drugs for human use can be exempt from retail sales tax and use tax when sold under the authority of a prescription. RCW 82.08.0281 and 82.12.0275 provide retail sales tax and use tax exemptions for drugs for human use dispensed or to be dispensed to patients, pursuant to a prescription. These exemptions apply to the distribution of "sample" prescription drugs provided free of charge to duly licensed practitioners authorized by the laws of this state to prescribe. For the exemptions to apply, the drug involved must be intended to interact with a specific patient through direct contact with that patient, whether applied internally or externally to the patient's body, or as part of a test conducted on a tissue sample taken from that patient. A seller is not required to collect sales tax when it obtains a properly completed exemption certificate indicating prescription drugs, intended for human use sold to medical practitioners, nursing homes, and hospitals, will be put to an exempt use under the authority of a prescription. Otherwise, the retail sales tax must be collected. See Part 3 of this rule for information about exemption certificates.
(c) Sales of disposable devices used to deliver prescription drugs for human use. RCW 82.08.935 and 82.12.935 provide retail sales tax and use tax exemptions for disposable devices used to deliver drugs for human use, pursuant to a prescription.
(i) What are disposable devices used to deliver drugs? "Disposable devices used to deliver drugs" include single-use items such as a single-use syringe, intravenous (IV) tubing, and IV catheters. A stand or device that holds the tubing or catheter is not a disposable device used to deliver drugs.
(ii) Example 8. Disposable devices. A nursing home purchases single-use syringes, tubing used to deliver drugs, and stands used to hold the IV fluid containers. If the nursing home provides the seller with a completed "Sales Tax Exemption Certificate for Health Care Providers," retail sales tax does not apply to the purchase of single-use syringes and tubing. However, retail sales tax applies to the IV stands because the stands are "durable medical equipment," not disposable or single-use, and no specific exemption for them exists in the law. For information about durable medical equipment, see Part 2 of this rule.
(d) Sales of "over-the-counter" drugs with a prescription are exempt from retail sales tax and use tax. RCW 82.08.940 and 82.12.940 provide retail sales tax and use tax exemptions for over-the-counter drugs sold for human use, pursuant to a prescription. See subsection (205) of this rule for the definition of over-the-counter drug.
(i) Example 9. A patient's medical practitioner prescribes over-the-counter pain relief medication. The patient takes the prescription to a pharmacy. The sale of the over-the-counter drug is exempt from retail sales tax. In contrast, if the patient's medical practitioner simply recommends that the patient use an over-the-counter pain relief medication, without completing a prescription for the medication, the sale of the over-the-counter drug is subject to retail sales tax.
(ii) Example 10. A hospital makes bulk purchases of various over-the-counter drugs to dispense to patients pursuant to a doctor's prescription. The hospital's purchases of such drugs are exempt from retail sales tax providing the hospital gives the seller an exemption certificate as discussed in Part 3 of this rule.
(iii) Example 11. An employer purchases drug test kits from a local drug store and administers them to current and prospective employees as a condition of employment. The employer's purchase of the drug tests is subject to retail sales tax because the tests are not prescribed by a licensed physician for the employees or prospective employees.
(e) Dietary supplements (also known as nutrition products) with a prescription are exempt from retail sales and use taxes. Sales of dietary supplements not covered by either of the retail sales tax or use tax exemptions for "food and food ingredients" are generally subject to retail sales tax or use tax. See RCW 82.08.0293 and 82.12.0293. However, RCW 82.08.925 and 82.12.925 provide specific retail sales tax and use tax exemptions for sales of "dietary supplements" for human use, pursuant to a prescription. A "dietary supplement" is any product, other than tobacco, intended to supplement the diet, and that satisfies all three of the criteria listed in (e)(i) through (iii) of this subsection.
(i) Contains one or more of the following dietary ingredients:
(E) A dietary substance for use by humans to supplement the diet by increasing the total dietary intake; or
(F) A concentrate, metabolite, constituent, extract, or combination of any ingredient described in this subsection.
(ii) Is intended for ingestion in tablet, capsule, powder, softgel, gelcap, or liquid form, or if not intended for ingestion in such form, is not represented as conventional food and is not represented for use as a sole item of a meal or of the diet; and
(iii) Is required to be labeled as a dietary supplement, identifiable by the "supplement facts" box found on the label as required pursuant to 21 C.F.R. Sec. 101.36, as amended or renumbered as of January 1, 2003. See RCW 82.08.0293.
(f) Licensed naturopaths have their own retail sales tax and use tax exemptions available. The sale or use of medicines of mineral, animal, and botanical origin which are prescribed, administered, dispensed, or used by a licensed naturopath in the treatment of a human patient are exempt from retail sales and use taxes. See RCW 82.08.0283 and 82.12.0277.
"Naturopathic medicines" are vitamins, minerals, botanical medicines, homeopathic medicines, hormones, and those legend drugs and controlled substances consistent with naturopathic medical practice in accordance with rules established by the secretary of health. Controlled substances are limited to codeine and testosterone products that are contained in Schedules III, IV, and V in chapter 69.50 RCW. See RCW 18.36A.020.
(g) Drugs and devices used for family planning may be exempt. RCW 82.08.0281 and 82.12.0275 provide sales tax and use tax exemptions for drugs and devices sold or used under certain conditions for family planning purposes. Family planning purposes include promoting, inhibiting, preventing, and determining of conception. This includes all single-patient use items, whether ingested, attached, or applied to persons for family planning purposes. Persons making tax-exempt sales of these drugs and devices to medical practitioners, clinics, or hospitals must obtain an exemption certificate to substantiate the exempt nature of any sale, as discussed in Part 3 of this rule.
The purchase, sale, or use qualifies for exemption when either one of the following conditions exists:
• The drug or device is supplied by a family planning clinic that is under contract with the Washington state department of health to provide family planning services; or
• The family planning items are or will be dispensed to patients, pursuant to a prescription. Persons dispensing these items are required to obtain and maintain files of prescriptions to document the exempt nature of such sales.
(h) Medically prescribed oxygen is exempt from retail sales tax and use tax. RCW 82.08.0283 provides a retail sales tax exemption for sales of medically prescribed oxygen for an individual prescribed by a person licensed under chapter 18.57 RCW (Osteopathy—Osteopathic medicine and surgery) or chapter 18.71 RCW (Physicians) for use in the medical treatment of that individual. A comparable use tax exemption is provided in RCW 82.12.0277. Persons making tax-exempt sales of these items must obtain an exemption certificate to substantiate the exempt nature of any sale as discussed in Part 3 of this rule.
(i) What is medically prescribed oxygen? The exemption for "medically prescribed oxygen" is not limited to gaseous or liquid oxygen (chemical designation O2). Medically prescribed oxygen is defined by RCW 82.08.0283 to include, among other things, oxygen concentrator systems, oxygen enricher systems, liquid oxygen systems, and gaseous, bottled oxygen systems. The primary use of the equipment must be for the generation or storage of medically prescribed oxygen (O2). These systems include regulators, cannulae, masks, and similar items used to deliver the oxygen to the individual from the tax-exempt oxygen generation or storage device.
(ii) Accessories may not be exempt. Exempt medical oxygen systems are sometimes connected to the patient through taxable systems. The exemption for medically prescribed oxygen only applies to items up to the point the exempt oxygen system is connected to the taxable system. From that point of connection forward to the patient, masks, tubing, or other similar items remain part of the taxable system and are subject to retail sales tax.
(A) Example 12. A physician prescribes oxygen for a patient. The patient rents an oxygen concentrator system and a separate cart to transport the system. The prescribed oxygen concentrator system can be rented exempt of sales tax. However, the exemption for "medically prescribed oxygen" does not include a separate cart used to transport a tax-exempt system. For information about durable medical equipment, see Part 2 of this rule. If the oxygen concentrator system and cart are rented for one nonitemized price the rental may be a bundled transaction. See Part 5 of this rule for information on how tax applies to a bundled transaction.
(B) Example 13. A physician prescribes a "continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)" system for a patient diagnosed with a sleep apnea disorder. The CPAP system primarily supplies room air, under pressure, to keep the patient's airway passages open and thereby prevent obstruction of airflow in and out of the lungs. As a result, the sale of the CPAP system is subject to retail sales tax because it is not a system that satisfies the statutory definition of "medically prescribed oxygen." Note: Certain CPAP systems, when designed to be entirely worn on the body, can qualify for exemption from retail sales tax as prosthetic devices. See Part 2 of this rule for more information.
(C) Example 14. Assume the same facts for a CPAP system as provided in the previous example (h)(i)(B) of this subsection. In addition, the physician prescribes an oxygen trickle by which medical oxygen is provided to the patient from an oxygen tank through a tube attached to the mask of the CPAP system. The addition of an oxygen trickle does not change the purpose or taxability of any part of the CPAP system. The CPAP system does not generate or store oxygen and is not eligible for the exemption provided for medically prescribed oxygen. The oxygen, oxygen tank, and any tubing used to convey the oxygen is covered by the exemption for medically prescribed oxygen, but only up to the point that it attaches to the taxable CPAP system.
(i) Insulin has its own specific exemption from retail sales tax and use tax - No prescription is required. RCW 82.08.985 and 82.12.985 provide specific sales tax and use tax exemptions for insulin for human use. A prescription is not required for the sale of insulin to be exempt from tax.
(j) Sales of laboratory reagents and other diagnostic substances may be exempt from retail sales and use taxes, under the right circumstances. The definition of drug includes compounds, substances, or preparations (e.g., laboratory reagents and other diagnostic substances) used for the diagnosis of disease. Thus, sales of laboratory reagents and other diagnostic substances are not subject to retail sales tax when prescribed for an individual by a duly licensed practitioner and used to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent disease in humans. RCW 82.08.0281. A comparable use tax exemption is provided in RCW 82.12.0275. Laboratory reagents and diagnostic substances must physically interact with a specific patient's specimen to qualify for exemption. Persons making tax-exempt sales of these items must obtain an exemption certificate to substantiate the exempt nature of any sale as discussed in Part 3 of this rule.
(i) What are laboratory reagents and other diagnostic substances? "Laboratory reagents and other diagnostic substances" are substances employed to produce a chemical reaction in order to detect, measure, or produce, other substances. To be a diagnostic substance, the application of the substance to a patient's specimen must result in identification of the characteristics of a particular disease.
(ii) Laboratory reagents, other diagnostic substances or prepared media when sold in a container. Reagents, diagnostic substances, and prepared media often come prepared in a container (test tube, vial, cylinder, Petri dish, etc.) ready for use. It makes no difference to the taxability of the substance if it is sold with or without a container. The function of the substance determines its taxability. The term "prepared media" includes transport media if the resulting culture grown on the medium is used in performing diagnostic tests for specific patients.
(iii) Laboratory reagents and other diagnostic substances. This subsection provides examples of laboratory reagents and other diagnostic substances that may qualify for sales and use tax exemptions under RCW 82.08.0281 and 82.12.0275, provided all requirements for the exemptions are met. The following items are reagents or other diagnostic substances:
(A) Stains, dyes, and decolorizers that react with and cause a change in a cellular tissue. The substances are used to stain the cell tissues in a manner that will mark or highlight certain portions of cells;
(B) Decalcifying solution, dehydrating solution, and clearing agents that chemically react with the patient's specimen; and
(C) Test strips impregnated with a reagent which, when applied to a patient's specimen, test for indicators of a disease.
(iv) What substances are not reagents? Some substances are used solely for purposes of preparing specimens for examination and diagnosis or to facilitate examination of a specimen. Such substances do not themselves produce a chemical reaction resulting in the detection, measurement, or production of another substance. They merely facilitate or enable specimen testing and are not exempt under RCW 82.08.0281 or 82.12.0275. The following lists examples of substances and items which are not reagents:
(A) Paraffin that is extracted from a tissue specimen without having chemically altered the cells;
(B) Gelatin that is extracted out of the specimen before staining and leaves the cell structures unaffected;
(C) Electrodes;
(D) Tissue cassettes;
(E) Freezing medium;
(F) Liquid agar when used to gel patient specimens;
(G) Test tubes or cylinders that do not contain a reagent;
(H) Plain slides and cover slips that are not coated with a reagent;
(I) Mounting medium to adhere the cover slip to the slide; and
(J) Acids and other solutions when used for cleaning purposes.
(v) What about reagents and diagnostic substances that can be used in more than one way (multiple use substances)? Some reagents or other diagnostic substances have multiple uses, some of which may qualify for a sales or use tax exemption. Such substances are exempt only to the extent they are used as part of a test prescribed to diagnose disease in humans. For example, alcohol can be used either as a reagent (e.g., to react with a cellular tissue) or to clean counters, furniture, etc. Alcohol used as a cleaning agent is subject to retail sales or use tax. See Part 3 of this rule for guidance on when to apply retail sales tax to products with multiple uses, with both retail sales taxable and exempt uses being possible.
(k) Sales of controls, calibrators, and standards used with laboratory test equipment are not exempt from retail sales and use taxes. The sales tax and use tax exemptions provided by RCW 82.08.0281 and 82.12.0275 do not apply to drugs (compounds, substances, or preparations) used as a control, calibrator or standard in conjunction with the test of patient specimens in a medical laboratory.
(i) What are controls? A "control" is a material, solution, lyophilized (freeze-dried) preparation or pool of collected serum designed to be used in the process of quality control. Controls do not physically interact with a specific patient's specimen. The concentrations of the substances of interest in the control are known within limits determined during its preparation or before routine use. Controls are generally used with each test of patient specimens to validate the accuracy of that particular test.
(ii) What are calibrators? A "calibrator" is a material, solution, or lyophilized (freeze-dried) preparation designed to be used in calibration of medical laboratory machines. The values or concentrations of substances of interest in the calibration material are known within limits determined during its preparation or before use. Calibrators are generally used at specified intervals such as every eight hours, at midnight, or at shift changes, in accordance with the machine manufacturer's requirements or the requirements of administering agencies to verify the accuracy of the machine.
Calibrators are subject to retail sales tax or use tax because they are used to diagnose problems with machines and they do not physically interact with a patient's specimen to diagnose disease.
(iii) What are standards? A "standard" is a reference material of fixed and known chemical composition capable of being prepared in an essentially pure form. Standard also includes any certified reference material generally accepted or officially recognized as the unique standard used to test and calibrate medical lab equipment. Standards are often used in the original setup of medical lab equipment.
A standard is subject to retail sales tax and use tax because it is used to test and calibrate equipment and does not physically interact with a patient's specimen.
(l) Sales of human blood, tissue, organs, or body parts may be exempt from retail sales and use taxes - No prescription or exemption certificate is required. RCW 82.08.02806 provides a retail sales tax exemption for human blood, tissue, organs, bodies or body parts when used for medical research or quality control testing purposes. RCW 82.12.02748 provides a comparable use tax exemption.
(i) Definitions of human blood, tissue, organs, or body parts. For the purposes of this exemption the following definitions apply:
(A) "Blood" means human whole blood, plasma, blood derivatives, and related products (e.g., bone marrow).
(B) "Tissue" includes human musculoskeletal tissue, musculoskeletal tissue derivatives, ligament tissue, skin tissue, heart valve tissue, human bone, and human eye tissue.
(C) "Organs" or "body parts" means a part of a human body having a special function.
(ii) Materials consisting of both human and animal components. Materials consisting of both human and animal components are not "human blood, tissue, organs, or body parts" and do not qualify for this exemption.
(iii) Sales of spermatozoa. These retail sales tax and use tax exemptions do not apply to sales or purchases of spermatozoa (male reproductive cell).
(m) Durable medical and mobility enhancing equipment - Retail sales tax or use tax applies in most cases. Retail sales tax or use tax applies to the sale or use of durable medical equipment and mobility enhancing equipment, unless a specific exemption applies. See subsections (202) and (204) of this rule for the definition of durable medical and mobility enhancing equipment.
(n) Sales of prosthetic devices may be exempt of retail sales and use taxes. RCW 82.08.0283 provides a retail sales tax exemption for sales of prosthetic devices prescribed, fitted, or furnished for an individual by a person licensed under the laws of this state to prescribe, fit, or furnish prosthetic devices. The exemption includes repair and replacement parts, as well as labor and services rendered in respect to repairing, cleaning, altering, or improving prosthetic devices. RCW 82.12.0277 provides a corresponding use tax exemption. Persons making tax-exempt sales of these prosthetic devices to medical practitioners, nursing homes, and hospitals, must obtain an exemption certificate to substantiate the exempt nature of any sale as described in Part 3 of this rule. See subsection (206) of this rule for the definition of prosthetic device.
(o) Kidney dialysis devices are exempt of retail sales and use taxes with a prescription. RCW 82.08.945 provides a retail sales tax exemption for sales of kidney dialysis devices for human use pursuant to a prescription. The exemption also includes repair and replacement parts, as well as labor and services rendered in respect to repairing, cleaning, altering, or improving kidney dialysis devices. RCW 82.12.945 provides a comparable use tax exemption. For the purpose of this exemption, a "kidney dialysis device" is a device which physically performs the dialyzing or separating process on blood. Kidney dialysis device does not include other equipment or tools used in conjunction with a kidney dialysis device.
Example 15. A kidney dialysis device is wired to a dedicated backup generator that exists only to service the dialysis device when the main source of power is interrupted or is unavailable. Under those conditions the dialysis process cannot be performed without the use of the generator to power the dialysis device. Even so, the generator does not perform the actual dialysis process on the patient's blood and is not a kidney dialysis device.
(p) Nebulizers are exempt of retail sales and use taxes with a prescription. RCW 82.08.803 and 82.12.803 provide sales tax and use tax exemptions in the form of a refund for the sale or use of a nebulizer for human use pursuant to a prescription. A nebulizer is "a device, and not a building fixture, that converts a liquid medication into a mist so that it can be inhaled." The exemptions include repair and replacement parts, as well as labor and services rendered in respect to repairing, cleaning, altering, or improving a nebulizer.
Under these exemptions, sellers must collect the tax on sales subject to these exemptions. To obtain a refund of tax paid, buyers must apply for a refund directly from the department by submitting a completed refund application form to the department and including the original sales receipt. Any buyer submitting an application for refund should refer to WAC 458-20-229 or use the department's web site at dor.wa.gov/content/ContactUs.
(q) Ostomic items are exempt of retail sales and use taxes - No prescription is required. RCW 82.08.804 and 82.12.804 provide specific sales tax and use tax exemptions for ostomic items for colostomy, ileostomy, or urostomy patients. "Ostomic items" are disposable medical supplies used by colostomy, ileostomy, and urostomy patients and include bags, belts to hold up bags, tapes, tubes, adhesives, deodorants, soaps, jellies, creams, germicides, and related supplies. "Ostomic items" do not include undergarments, pads and shields to protect undergarments, sponges, or rubber sheets. A prescription is not required for the sale of ostomic items to be exempt from tax.
PART 5 - BUNDLED TRANSACTIONS
(501) What is a bundled transaction? A "bundled transaction" is the retail sale of two or more products, except real property and services to real property, where:
• The products are otherwise distinct and identifiable; and
• The products are sold for one nonitemized price.
A bundled transaction does not include the sale of any products in which the sales price varies, or is negotiable, based on the selection by the buyer of the products included in the transaction.
(a) How are bundled transactions generally taxed for retail sales tax purposes? A transaction is generally considered a bundled transaction subject to retail sales tax if more than ten percent of the purchase price or sales price is attributable to retail sales taxable products. RCW 82.08.190 and 82.08.195.
(b) Exception. A transaction which otherwise meets the definition of a "bundled transaction" is not a bundled transaction when both of the following are true:
(ii) The seller's purchase price or sales price of the taxable tangible personal property is fifty percent or less of the total purchase price or sales price of the bundled tangible personal property. Sellers may not use a combination of the purchase price and sales price of the tangible personal property when making the fifty percent determination for a transaction.
(502) How are kits (or trays) used for medical procedures taxed if they contain a combination of individually taxable and nontaxable items? Medical procedure kits are often purchased as a plastic-wrapped package that includes the various items needed to perform a particular medical procedure. A procedure kit can combine items that are either subject to retail sales tax or exempt from retail sales tax if sold separate from a kit or tray, as individual items. However, when a kit involves a bundled transaction sold for one nonitemized price, the sale of the entire kit is either subject to retail sales tax or exempt. This subsection explains how to determine whether a particular medical procedure kit is subject to or exempt from retail sales tax. Persons making a tax-exempt sale of a kit must obtain an exemption certificate from the buyer that lists the general item types within the kit that are exempt as discussed in Part 3 of this rule. If a particular item within a kit is only exempt pursuant to a prescription, the item (or the procedure in which the item is used) must be prescribed by a duly licensed practitioner authorized by the laws of this state to prescribe the same.
Example 16. A glucose testing kit is prescribed for a human patient. The kit includes a glucose meter, five sample test reagent strips, and a lancet. The glucose meter is durable medical equipment, has a purchase price of $40.00, and is subject to retail sales tax when sold separately. (See Part 2 of this rule for more information concerning durable medical equipment.) The lancet is a single-use tool not covered by any exemption, has a purchase price of $40.00, and is subject to retail sales tax when sold separately. In this case, the test reagent strips qualify as disposable drug delivery devices, have a purchase price of $20.00, and are exempt from retail sales tax when sold separately pursuant to a prescription. The total purchase price of the kit is $100.00.
To determine if the full purchase price of the kit is subject to retail sales tax, the purchase (or sales) price of the taxable components should be compared to the total purchase (or sales) price of the kit. If the taxable components exceed fifty percent of the price, the entire kit is subject to retail sales tax. In this case, the purchase price for both the glucose meter and lancet ($40.00 + $40.00 = $80.00) are more than fifty percent of the total kit purchase price of $100.00. Therefore, retail sales tax is due on the sale of the kit. But if the taxable components were fifty percent or less of the total kit purchase price, sales tax would not be due on the kit.