Enterprise Services is seeking public comment on proposed rules for certain public and nonprofit hospital risk pools through March 1.

A new state law permits certain public and nonprofit hospitals to jointly self-insure for property and liability risks. The law also requires that the state risk manager adopt rules for these public benefit hospital joint self-insurance programs (also called risk pools). The state risk manager's office is a program within the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services.

The rules must include standards for solvency, operations, management and other important areas.

The proposed rules contain standards similar to current rules adopted for similar type risk pools overseen by the state risk manager. Those rules include WAC 200-120 (housing authority risk pools), WAC 200-100 (local government risk pools) and WAC 200-150 (nonprofit risk pools).

Prior to filing the proposed rules under the state's rulemaking process, the Enterprise Services sought two rounds of input from stakeholders in October and November, including during an Oct. 17 workshop.

How to comment

All input is valued equally, whether given in-person at a hearing or submitted in writing.

People can submit comments online or via email anytime through March 1.

A public hearing also will be held:

February 27
10 a.m. to noon
1500 Jefferson Street, Olympia, Room 1213

More information

• Proposed rules
• More information is available on the Enterprise Services rulemaking webpage.
• If you have questions specific to existing self-insurance rules, please contact Shannon Stuber, (360) 407-8153.
• If you have questions about the rulemaking process, please contact Jack Zeigler, (360) 407-9209.