Washington Administrative Code › Title 182 - Health Care Authority › WASHINGTON APPLE HEALTH › Chapter 182-546 - Transportation services › GROUND EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION (GEMT) › Section 182-546-5100 - Nonemergency transportation-Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
The following definitions and those found in chapter
					 182-500 WAC apply to nonemergency medical brokered transportation. Unless
					 otherwise defined in WAC
					 182-546-5200 through
					 182-546-6000, medical terms are
					 used as commonly defined within the scope of professional medical practice in
					 the state of Washington.
"Against medical advice (AMA)"
- When a client
					 elects to discharge from a health care facility against the advice of medical
					 professionals.
"Ambulance"
- See WAC
					 182-546-0125.
"Broker"
- An organization or entity
					 contracted with the agency to arrange nonemergency transportation and related
					 services for clients.
"Drop off point"
- The location authorized by
					 the transportation broker for the client's trip to end.
"Escort"
- A person authorized by the
					 transportation broker to accompany and be transported with a client to a health
					 care service. An escort's transportation may be authorized depending on the
					 client's age, mental state or capacity, safety requirements, mobility skills,
					 communication skills, or cultural issues.
"Guardian"
- A person who is legally
					 responsible for a client and who may be required to be present when a client is
					 receiving health care services.
"Local community"
- The client's city or town
					 of residence or nearest location to residence.
"Local provider"
- A provider, as defined in
					 WAC 182-500-0085, who delivers
					 covered health care service within the client's local community, and the
					 treatment facility where the services are delivered within the client's local
					 community.
"Lodging and meals"
- Temporary housing and
					 meals provided during a client's out-of-area medical stay.
"Mode"
- A method of transportation assistance
					 used by the general public that an individual client can use in a specific
					 situation. Methods that may be considered include, but are not limited
					 to:
* Air transport;
* Public bus;
* Commercial bus;
* Ferries/water taxis;
* Gas vouchers/gas cards;
* Grouped or shared-ride vehicles;
* Mileage reimbursement;
* Parking;
* Stretcher vans or cars;
* Taxi;
* Tickets;
* Tolls;
* Train;
* Volunteer drivers;
* Walking or other personal conveyance; and
* Wheelchair vans.
"Noncompliance or noncompliant"
- When a
					 client:
* Fails to appear at the pickup point of the trip at the
					 scheduled pickup time;
* Misuses or abuses agency-paid medical, transportation, or
					 other services;
* Fails to comply with the rules, procedures, or policies
					 of the agency or those of the agency's transportation brokers, the brokers'
					 subcontracted transportation providers, or health care service
					 providers;
* Poses a direct threat to the health or safety of self or
					 others; or
* Engages in violent, seriously disruptive, or illegal
					 conduct.
"Pickup point"
- The location authorized by
					 the agency's transportation broker for the client's trip to begin.
"Return trip"
- The return of the client to
					 the client's residence, or another authorized drop-off point, from the location
					 where a covered health care service has occurred.
"Service animal"
- An animal individually
					 trained to work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The work
					 or task an animal has been trained to provide must be directly related to the
					 individual's disability. Animals whose sole function is to provide comfort or
					 emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the American with
					 Disabilities Act.
"Stretcher car or van"
- A vehicle that can
					 legally transport a client in a prone or supine position when the client does
					 not require medical attention en route.
"Stretcher trip"
- A transportation service
					 that requires a client to be transported in a prone or supine position without
					 medical attention during the trip. This may be by stretcher, board, gurney, or
					 other appropriate device. Medical or safety requirements must be the basis for
					 transporting a client in the prone or supine position.
"Transportation provider"
- A person or
					 company under contract with a broker to provide trips to eligible
					 clients.
"Trip"
- Transportation one-way from the
					 pickup point to the drop off point by an authorized transportation
					 provider.
"Urgent care"
- An unplanned appointment for a
					 covered medical service with verification from an attending physician or
					 facility that the client must be seen that day or the following
					 day.
11-17-032, recodified as WAC
						182-546-5100, filed 8/9/11,
						effective 8/9/11. Statutory Authority:
						RCW
						74.04.057,
						74.08.090, and
						74.09.500. 11-15-029, §
						388-546-5100, filed 7/12/11, effective 8/12/11. Statutory Authority:
						RCW
						74.04.050,
						74.04.057,
						74.08.090,
						74.09.500, and
						74.09.035. 08-08-064, §
						388-546-5100, filed 3/31/08, effective 5/1/08. Statutory Authority:
						RCW
						74.08.090,
						74.09.500,
						74.04.050,
						74.04.055, and
						74.04.057. 01-06-029, §
						388-546-5100, filed 3/2/01, effective
						4/2/01.